Bitter Innocence
by alicemeadows
Summary: Felicity Smoak went through hell and high waters to end up a successful IT girl at Queen's Consolidated. However, what Oliver soon discovers is that his most successful IT girl by day is a stripper by night, paying off a debt from her past. What will happen when her two identities collide? Read to find out! M for sex, violence, and language
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello all! This is my first attempt at an _Arrow_ fanfic, so I hope you like it! I would like to say that this is rated M for a reason. There's violence. There's sex. Hell, there's even strippers. I don't stick too close to the Arrow World, but Starling and Queen's Consolidated is in this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Arrow_ or any of the characters in the amazing DC Universe.

Also, Meg is the stage name for a certain IT girl we all know and love. So without further ado...

* * *

Oliver never went to places like this. It didn't appeal to him anymore, yet when Tommy offered he couldn't refuse. Not after the day he had. No, tonight Oliver just wants to escape from his over-ambitious mother, nagging ex-girlfriends, and the irrational fears that haunt him at night. No, tonight he will let himself get lost in the lights, booze, heat, and naked women around him as their skin wraps around a pole, enticing desperate men to do desperate things in this desperate nightclub. Though, he can't judge. Tonight, he is one of those men.

...

Meg would never get used to these nights. Backstage, other girls run around in their lingerie and lube their bodies with massage oils and glitter. She is simple. She prefers a simple braid to the big Jersey City curls, lace lingerie to the leather or studs, and rose massage oil that doesn't make her shimmer like a Twilight vampire. She doesn't really belong here, yet she borrowed money from the wrong man and this is where she landed: a man's world where she is just a piece of ass. And she always will be.

"Meg! You're on!" Danny shouts over the loud music and hooting customers, bringing her back to reality. With a deep breath she steps onstage, her eyes glued to the ground and not the hollering men. Breathe…she wraps her hand high on the pole, swaying her hips as the music changes from slamming bass to smooth beats that could be a Latin mix, but she doesn't care. She can feel the stage lights heating her pale skin as she slowly drops, the lace lingerie stretching with her curves, her bends, her waves, and twirls. The ribbon holding her braid slides loose and her auburn locks tumble everywhere. Finally, she looks up and spins around the pole, her long legs clutching it as her reality crumbles around her. With each breath, she becomes a creature she doesn't recognize; her humanity becomes trapped inside.

No one would know from the fierce gleam in her green eyes. No one would expect her to be in pain. She counts the bills onstage: thirty. At forty she is supposed to take off her bra. Why does she put herself through this? Thirty-eight, thirty-nine…forty; she spins away from the pole, running her hands over her body as a pout taints her lips. She watches the men drool with hatred in her eyes, yet seduction in her body. She slowly spreads her legs as she drops to her knees, flipping her hair to hide her shame. She crawls to the end of the stage among the bills and sits back on her heels, unclasping the scarlet bra. It peels away and the men go wild. Her mind blocks off as muscle memorization kicks in. She doesn't want to see the desire in their eyes; she doesn't want to see the lust and lewd movements they show towards her. She is only a toy to them, yet she doesn't want to see any of it.

A set of blue eyes keeps her from fully escaping. They do not stare with lust or superiority, but with curiosity. This fiery woman is something he cannot comprehend, and Oliver hates it. He has to understand the world around him; that is how he controls it. Surprisingly, he doesn't want to control her. He just wants to understand why a girl with such hatred could strip for the men in this club. A few minutes of gyrating and pole dancing, and Meg finally escapes the stage, wrapping a silk robe around her body to hide from Danny's eyes. Yes, he is her manager, but she doesn't want him to see more of her than he already has. She hates him more than anybody else in this blasted club, for he is the reason she is here. He brought her into this mad business. Danny walks up to her in the hall and grabs her waist, pulling her back against him.

"Great job, baby girl," he coos, squeezing her ass through lace and silk, "You made quite a bit of green out there, but I need more. So guess who is on the Date List tonight?" Meg spins to look at him and he grins wickedly, "That's right, baby, you are on that list!"

"You promised me I wouldn't have to do that again,"

"I lied," he growls as he drags her to her dressing room, "Now you are going to change into something sugary sweet and innocent, and I'll be back for you in five. Got that, cupcake?" With a furious mind and a clenched jaw, Meg nods. He gives her ass one final squeeze before storming out of the room. She bites back a scream; instead she turns to her wardrobe and pulls out baby blue lingerie, pairing it with a white lace garter belt and her auburn hair in pigtails. Can't get any more innocent than pigtails. She paints her eyelids with light blue sparkles, transforming her from the average girl she was to something better. For a "date" she needs to look better than she already does. She stares at herself in the mirror, wondering why she was here for the millionth time that night. Hopefully her day job will take her from this place. Forever.

...

"You enjoying yourself, dude?" Tommy slurs, waving his beer at Oliver. Oliver just grins and shrugs.

"Yeah it's been good, but you are way drunk. We should head back," he says and Tommy laughs.

"Nah man, we haven't had the best of it yet. I want to buy a night with one of the girls,"

"Come again?"

"Yeah, the manager pimps out his dancers after every show. We should buy some girls. You know we can afford it!" Tommy gives him a cheeky grin and again Oliver finds himself agreeing with his friends' antics. Tommy drags his friend to the back hall where they follow other well-dressed men to a large back office. The men file in and minutes later, the dancers enter and kneel at the front of the room. The manager stands next to them in a cheap suit and thick hair gel.

"Welcome, gentleman! I am glad to see all of you here, and I am sure most of you know how this goes. You bid for the girl, and you have the night with them. Simple as that," Danny Moreno chimes before gesturing for the first girl to stand. Her short raven hair was spiked out to go along with the leather and fishnet theme of her costume. A man with a receding hairline and bushy moustache claims her for the night, and Danny moves on. Down the line he goes until the girl with auburn hair and hatred in her eyes stands up. She keeps her vision to the ground, not wanting to spur any of the men on. Very few bids are called out, and before Oliver knows what he is doing, he bids on the woman: 500 bucks for a night with her.

"Our baby doll goes to the gentleman in the back!" Danny shouts as if she was cattle and not a woman. She finally looks up and Oliver smirks at her. Her cheeks flush brightly before she looks back at the ground. The bidding continues until the last girl is bought and claimed for the evening.

"Alright, gentleman, there are individual rooms down the halls. Ladies, please take your gentleman to the rooms for their dates," Danny commands. Each girl struts towards their conquerors and soon Oliver is face to face with skeptical green eyes and a red-lipped smile.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Chapter Two is a LEMON, so if you have an aversion to that sort of thing. Just skip over it. All you need to know is Oliver and "Meg" bang, and they bang hard.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi all! I wasn't going to post Chapter Two and Three so soon, but I saw how much you enjoyed it and couldn't help but give you the next part. Like I said before this chapter is all SEX, so if you are opposed to graphic detailed fornication, feel free to skip straight to Chapter Three. And with that onto the story!

* * *

Why does she have to spend the night with him? Of all men, it has to be the one who expects more from her than just a quick bang. She can tell from the way his blue eyes observe her. He wants to know about what is going on in her head, and that is something she would never be willing to give him.

She grasps his calloused hand and leads him out of the parlor to a room across the hall. It is tastefully decorated in shades of red and gold; filled to the brim with pillows and soft furniture for highly pleasurable activities. Oliver perches on a chaise lounge by the fireplace, the warm glow engulfing the room in a cozy atmosphere. Meg climbs onto his lap and kisses him as she is expected to do. What she doesn't expect is the fire his lips ignite inside of her body. He nips at her lush bottom lip and she gasps. His hands wrap around her small waist, and hers wrap up along his neck as she deepens the kiss, letting him slip his tongue into her mouth, twirling it with hers. She wants the kiss to engulf her entire body with desire so for one night she can forget what it is she does for a living. Oliver can sense that she doesn't want to talk, nor does she want to wallow in her role as a prostitute, so he plays along. He certainly craves the desire that she holds within her tiny little body. She smirks when she feels something harden against her hip, but how can she blame him for getting turned on? Her body is on fire, her heart beats loudly in her chest, and his hands send shock waves through her body.

Oliver knows how to do this. Seducing a woman until she is nothing but orgasmic trembles underneath him is something he is very good at, and he plans on using his skills on her. He slowly lowers his hands until they are under her ample butt and lifts, carrying her easily to the bed at the other side of the room. He lowers her down before unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it off and exposing an expansive chest of hard muscles. She sits up and traces his abs with her fingers, trailing them low on his body with a small smirk on her mouth. He happily grins when he sees some sort of reaction from her. He leans over and kisses her again, coaxing her desire with each nip on her lip and swirl of tongue in her mouth.

It isn't until she hears the belt hit the floor that she remembers what she's here for. Meg is only the whore he paid to sleep with. Nothing more. Yet when Oliver sees her eyes harden with the truth, he gently grasps her chin and lifts it to face him.

"Stop that," he whispers as she hesitates, lightly biting her lower lip. He kisses her hard, wanting her to feel like this is the passion she deserves, since it is. All women deserve to be loved like this, and tonight he wants to make her squirm with that fiery desire. Yes, he is doing this for himself too, but for some reason he wants to please her. And please her he will do. He trails kisses down her neck to her collarbone, making her gasp and moan at the sensation. She continues to run her fingers over his highly impressive body. She has never seen nor been with a man this sculpted. His long fingers unclasp her bra, exposing her alabaster breasts to the cold air. She leans back, bracing herself as his hands softly massage her breasts, warming the skin and causing her to almost melt from the desire within; she doesn't care if she is a whore. She wants him. When his mouth clamps over her nipple, she cries out in surprise and lust. He smirks as he sucks on her nipple, flicking his tongue over the sensitive bud and massaging the left breast with his large hands. Her elbows go weak as hot fire pools low in her belly.

She pulls him up, kissing him again before flipping the two of them over, grinding her hips against his hard cock. He growls low, his mouth claiming hers as she unzips his jeans, slides them down his waist, and takes a hold of him with her soft hands. She slowly strokes up and down him, watching him throw his head back and groan. How she can hate so much, yet show so much desire is completely unfathomable to Oliver. She teases him with just her hands, and he teases her with deep kisses, gropes, and nips that has both of them dying for more. He flips her underneath him, and Meg nods to let him know it is okay. He slips into her and instantly she moans.

It has been a very long time since someone has screwed her with any sense of pleasing the woman. She is used to men who are in and out in two seconds, not caring if she gets off or not. This man thrusts into her in a way that has her crying out, each slam draws more and more pleasure from her body. She grabs his shoulders and meets his thrusts, eager for the release that he offers her.

Oliver watches her, enjoying the way small gasps and mews spill out of her lips, the way she clings to the sheets when he does something she loves, and the way she digs her nails into his back when she is close. He wants to make her cum, and every pleasurable thing he does for her brings him closer to his own orgasm. At the last minute, she pushes him over and he laughs when she follows him to lay on his chest, his cock still buried deep inside her. She sits up and starts rolling her hips, hitting the spot that gives her the most desire and drives Oliver absolutely crazy. Out of instinct, he thrusts up into her and she cries out.

"Oh dear lordie, oh man," she whimpers as her orgasm rocks through, leaving her a trembling puddle on his chest. He chuckles and continues thrusting through her orgasm. When her body settles, she grins wickedly before rocking her hips again. Oliver growls before kissing her again, expressing his desire in one deep, mind reeling kiss. He grabs her and lifts, carrying her to the wall where he can properly screw her brains out. Meg's eyes widen as he presses her to the cold wall, his hands holding her easily around the waist. She wraps her legs around his hips, and gasps loudly when he rocks those hips forward. This new place is intimate and fiery and all the things she needs to bring her to another orgasm. Especially when he thrusts harder and faster into her, nipping at her neck and groping her sensitive breasts. Her head slams back on the plastered wall as her body clamps around him again as she orgasms. The tightness around his shaft brings his climax, and before he can pull out he comes inside of her. She rests against his shoulder as he carries her back to the chaise lounge. After a few silent moments, she gets off his lap and grabs her bra.

"I'm sorry I didn't—"

"You don't need to worry, I am on the pill," she interrupts, the cold facade wrapped back around her again. Oliver watches as she redresses and untangles her hair before he finally can't stand not asking.

"Why do you do this if you hate it so much?" he questions and she freezes, shock and surprise in her bright green eyes.

"Is it so obvious?" she finally whispers.

"Only to someone who isn't staring at your tits," Oliver replies and Meg smirks.

"I do have nice tits," she chimes and he laughs.

"Indeed you do, but I still want to know why you do it,"

"Money," she simply says, "Have a good night, stranger," she adds before kissing him one more time and hurrying out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So recap if y'all skipped over Ch 2. Oliver was at the Painted Ladies with Tommy, and had sex with Felicity in disguise. Now proceed!

* * *

Oliver arrives at Queen Consolidated around noon, fastening his tie as he hurries in with a coffee in hand. Diggle looks up from the security desk, a cocked eyebrow interrogating Oliver as he rushes past him.

"Late night?"

"Don't ask," is all Oliver can get out before he launches himself into the elevator and hurries to the 30th floor for a meeting with Walter Steele, COO, that started fifteen minutes ago. As he bursts through the glass door, six heads peer up from the conference table: Walter, his mother, three investors, and a blonde bespectacled woman he has never seen before. He slides into an empty chair near her, a careless smirk on his lips.

"I apologize for my tardiness, there was quite a bit of traffic on the bridge," he chimes, pulling a pad of paper over to him.

"I hope this meeting is worth the effort," Walter says, "Oliver let me introduce you to our proposing investors: David Blade, Marvin Black, and Clyde Stevens. And the quiet blonde at the end is Felicity Smoak. She is one of the best IT experts in this building,"

"Nice to meet you all, and I am so sorry about the interruption. Please continue," Oliver chimes, struck by the silent girl engulfed in her tablet adjacent to him.

"These men are interested in buying the Applied Science Department, Oliver, and they were just making their pitches as to why this would be a good business move on our part. I wanted you here for your opinion as the up and coming Financials Manager," Moira Queen, his mother, mumbles before Clyde Stevens clears his throat and begins a very long spiel about why his company would be the best choice to develop on the Applied Sciences Department. As he speaks, Oliver notices the blonde's brows furrowing as each one of his words strike a chord with her. Before the poor man can finish, she set her tablet down and stares at him with intense green eyes.

"You speak very affluently about the military perks to developing the Applied Science Department, but what of the economical or environmental perks? Military is only going to help a small fraction of the Queen Consolidated clientele, yet you are ignoring the other 85% of whom we do business. Plus, your plans are far more costly than the budget you proposed, so whose pocket is that coming from? Yours or the Queens?" she asks, railing the man with questions that only fluster him. Walter Steele just smiles.

"And this is why our technical analyst is here today. There are many technical loopholes I am afraid I would miss in your proposals that she is very apt to discover, as you just witnessed,"

"She didn't need to be so violent about it, Walter," Moira whispers, yet he just shrugs. Oliver looks at the blonde, impressed by the intellect and strength she holds in that tiny body. Something about her is very familiar, and that distracts him as the other investors try to pull similar military based proposals passed the very smart blonde. The only one who didn't focus solely on military is Marvin Black, yet Walter isn't very impressed by his speech. All three investors leave the meeting with no promise of obtaining the Applied Science Department unless they change their proposals.

"Thank you very much, Miss Smoak. If you wish to return to the IT Department, you may. We will call upon you later if we need anything from you," Walter says as the meeting ends. Oliver stretches in his chair before a secretary drops message slips in his lap, most of them from his ex-girlfriend. As he sorts through the messages, Felicity grabs her tablet and flees for the elevator, anxiety and terror in her chest. He was not supposed to be here, and he was definitely not supposed to be the boss' son and CFO. Oliver Queen was the man she spent the night with in her alter ego as Meg, and now he is here working at Queen Consolidated with her.

"This can't get any worse…" she whispers to herself as she takes the elevator from the top floor to her basement IT office, "I mean it could be if he recognizes me," Yeah that would be really really bad. She would be fired, and probably arrested. Please God don't let him recognize me, she silently prays as she enters her office, locks the door, and flops heavily in her chair. She just needs to focus on her day job, and forget she ever had to "date" Oliver Queen.

...

6:00PM flashes brightly on the clock in the corner, yet Felicity ignores it. Her mind is absorbed in the numbers in front of her. Numbers makes sense. Numbers don't try to take advantage of you, and they always have a clear answer. Like coding has a clear cause and effect. Felicity types away, digging deeper into old ASD records when a knock at the door has her jumping ten feet in the air. A deep laugh sends shivers down her spine; she has heard that laugh once before. She looks up to see Oliver Queen leaning in the doorway.

"I'm sorry I startled you, but Walter sent me down here to pick up some documents about the Applied Science merger. He said you had some notes for him or something like that," Oliver mumbles, watching the blonde flush and push up her glasses.

"Yeah, yeah. Um…give me a moment to find them; I had them on the corner I think—yup! Here they are," Felicity babbles as she hands him the manila envelope, "Everything he wants is in here,"

"Thank you. I am sure he will be pleased with your work,"

"Oh yeah, well that stuff is the easiest. It's just crossing T's and dotting the I's," she mumbles, turning back to the embedded file on her computer screen.

"What is that there?" Oliver asks, curious as to what the blonde can do.

"These are just some old ASD files, and that line of coding in the background is a firewall program update. The software was getting a little weak," she replies, wanting the imposing man out of her office as soon as possible, yet he looks like he wants to stay.

"Really, how did the firewall get weak?"

"Porn probably," Felicity grumbles and Oliver chokes on a laugh.

"Are you always so blunt?"

"Only occasionally why?" she stares up at Mr. Queen and he stares back. Something about this blonde is very familiar and it is driving him crazy that he doesn't know what it is or where he knows her. Then she does it: she bites her lower lip as she finishes the coding and reboots the system. That bite reminds him of the baby doll he spent the night with, the girl who hates the club yet was passionate beyond anything he could fathom.

"Take off your glasses," he orders and she looks up at him, surprised then confused by his command. Slowly, she pulls the thick black frames from her face and sets them down on the desk. Fiery green eyes stare up at him and his jaw drops, "Holy shit…" Immediately she slides the glasses back on, fear and panic flowing through her veins as she shoots out of her chair.

"Please, Mr. Queen, you cannot tell anyone—I mean ANYONE—about my night job. If they find out I could be fired and arrested and I can't lose this job. It is the only thing keeping me off the streets. Please—"

"If you work here, why do you need money so badly?" Oliver hisses as he shuts her office door.

"I borrowed so I could go to school…I just borrowed from the wrong man. It was a mistake, but I needed to go to college; I needed out of my hometown. Please, don't tell anyone," Felicity begs. Silence consumes the two of them before Oliver finally nods.

"Your secret is safe with me," Oliver murmurs as relief pools in her green eyes. He pities her really; she had to borrow from a pimp to get a college degree and her job at Queen Consolidated…he never had to borrow or scrimp or save in his life. He has always had the money and the resources he desired. He has a life of luxury, not a life of turmoil like the tiny blonde woman in front of him.

"Thank you, Mr. Q—"

"Please call me Oliver,"

"For you, anything. You're doing me a huge favor, and I'm so thankful, Oliver," Felicity says before glancing at the clock: 6:25, "Oh shit. I need to go. If Mr. Steele or Mrs. Queen needs anything else, just ask them to email me. I will check it first thing in the morning," and with that she scurries from her IT office, thrilled that Oliver will keep her secret, but mortified to know that she still has to work with a man she slept with. It makes things complicated and messy, and at Queen Consolidated, Felicity hates messy.

* * *

So Oliver now knows the truth! I will get Chapter Four posted soon. I'd love it if you all reviewed! Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi all! I'm back! After this chapter, I'm probably going to slow my updates down to once-maybe twice-a week instead of everyday just because my work load is changing, and I'm moving at the end of this month. I should pack eventually...anyways thank you for the reviews! I so appreciate them! Now onto the story!

* * *

 **7:05**. Felicity is in the dressing room, dreading the wardrobe laid out in front of her by the costume designer. AKA Danny...He has her in a virgin white lacy bra and thong set with a pink ruffled garter belt and matching pink ruffled choker. She stares at the flimsy fabric, gawking at the idea that men would actually find this attractive.

"Oooh...looks like you got The Virgin today," another stripper chimes, and Felicity turns to stare solemnly at Roxy. This stripper is the only friend Felicity has in this place, and the only one to know her real name.

"I swear the costumes are just getting worse and worse…" Felicity grumbles and the other girl laughs.

"No shit! I look like a fucking dominatrix in this getup," Roxy states, waving a hand down her body at the black leather bra and panties that she wears with knee high stiletto boots. Felicity doesn't envy her friend AT ALL. Trying to pole dance with those boots is murder.

"You have a problem with the costumes, you can fucking go elsewhere," Danny growls with a furious glare at Felicity, "Get changed, Meg. You're on in ten," he demands and she waits until he is gone to slip out of her robe and pull on the horrible virgin ensemble.

"If he plays Madonna for me, I'm gonna scream," she spits as she straps sexy stiletto heels onto her feet. A little bit of red lipstick and rose oil, and she is good to go. Roxy looks over her and smiles.

"At least you look hot. That's all a girl can ask for, right?" Roxy chimes and Felicity smiles, knowing that is her friend's way of trying to cheer her up.

"Thanks, Rox. I appreciate it," Felicity says before making her way to backstage, instantly putting up a cold demeanor. Roxy is literally the only one who makes this job worthwhile. That and the workout. Pole dancing is one hell of an exercise.

 _Look at it this way. I can eat as much Big Belly Burger without getting one,_ Felicity thinks as her music starts and she struts onto the stage. Hoots and hollers fill her ears, yet she blocks it all out, focusing solely on the music and the pole. This is the only way she can survive in a place like this...little does she know that one of the men gawking at her in the audience is there for a completely different purpose.

The music ends (luckily not "Like a Virgin") and Felicity scurries offstage to grab a robe before Danny approaches her again. She gets the red silk robe on right as her manager pops out of the office. His eyes are red and his skin sweaty, yet she doesn't feel much sympathy for him if he's got a cold or something.

"How can I help you, Danny?" she reluctantly asks as he bores his beady eyes into her.

"I need you in my office," he growls and hesitantly she steps inside, praying he leaves the door ajar so she isn't forced to being alone with him. She stops it so it is open a few inches.

"Yes, sir…?" Felicity starts as Danny just stares at her. Her words bring him out of his reverie and he smirks wickedly.

"Did you have fun at your Date Night last night?" he questions and her cheeks instinctively turn bright red. The image of Oliver Queen pounding into her in a fit of pleasure flashes into her mind and she has to look down or Danny will know the answer.

"I prefer not to have them," she replies, her voice surprisingly cold for the passion that is pooling inside of her. Danny's smirk falls into a bitter scowl.

"You should've thought of that before borrowing thirty thousand dollars from me," he growls, storming across the small office until he has her hair wrapped around his hand with her pinned to the wall. Fear dowses out any lingering desires in her body as Danny's eyes maniacally scan her body, her robe falling off her shoulders to expose her lace lingerie to him.

"Danny-"

"You're going on the list again. No need to change, though. This virgin look works well for you even though I know you're a little slut," he spits and she glares at him.

"I don't want to be on the list," she bravely says, yet his response is to slap her so hard, her head bounces off the brick wall, making her see stars.

"Too fucking bad! You're going to 'date' someone tonight whether you like it or not!" he shouts before a knock on the door interrupts him. Roxy peeks her head in with an apologetic gleam in her eye.

"Sorry to interrupt, boss, but you have a visitor," she quietly murmurs, and Felicity takes this moment to flee. She pushes Danny away from her and runs back to the dressing room with Roxy on her heels.

"Woah, where's the fire, girlie?" Roxy says as she doesn't slow her pace until she is safely inside the dressing room with the door slammed shut. Felicity slumps onto a stool in front of a mirror, her body trembling with anger, terror, regret, and shame.

"I fucking hate him," she whispers as she adds another layer of makeup to her face, covering the slap mark on her cheek. Roxy kneels in front of her and hugs her tightly, not caring if the other strippers look at them or not. Her friend needs comfort. That's all there is to it.

"Soon we will be free," Roxy murmurs before a loud bell tolls. The "Date Night" is beginning...Felicity cringes as she stands, taking off her silk robe before she, Roxy, and the other girls file down the hall to where the men are gathering. Danny is at the front like before, but unlike before, he grabs Felicity's arm and pushes her in first so that she will be the first auctioned off and not later on as she was before. Her eyes widen as she realizes the room is full of large, burly, men. Most of them with weapons strapped to their belts.

 _Please not them...Please not them…_ Felicity inwardly pleads as Danny starts her bidding. Finally, she is sold to a man in the far corner of the room. As she looks at her "date", she has this daunting feeling she has seen the young man before. He has dark brown tousled hair, a cocky grin on his face, and a very expensive Italian suit covering his body. Felicity's blood runs cold as she realizes who her "date" for tonight is. Her "date" is Tommy Merlyn...


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello all! Your wish is my command! I got A LOT of reviews saying y'all didn't like the idea of Felicity with Tommy. Unfortunately, it leads to another plot point, so I couldn't TOTALLY get rid of the scene. I did just limit it a bit for all of you. I appreciate all of the reviews and the feedback, and I will do my best to adjust something if you really think it's necessary. Like the Tommy scene. A full blown sex scene just isn't necessary. Anyways, I'm babbling.

So without further ado! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Felicity secretly glimpses at Tommy Merlyn as the other girls are auctioned off. Of the men in the room, she definitely got off easy in the looks department. He has a strong jaw and bright eyes with a consistent smirk on his thin lips. He has his arms crossed as he leans up against the wall, scanning her with his bright-slightly inebriated-eyes. Finally, the last girl is sold for the night, and she is forced to go with him. Slowly, she walks over to him, taking his hand without a word, and leading him to her designated "date" room. She steps inside the crimson room, and her mind wanders back to last night with Oliver, causing a bright blush to creep to her cheeks. She turns to face Tommy as he perches on the chaise.

"Like what you see, love?" he chimes and she forces a smile to her lips.

"Indeed…" she purrs, though she doesn't move towards him. Tommy grins before grabbing her hand and pulling her onto his lap, sloppily kissing her as she hesitantly holds onto his shoulders. He bought her. She has to do this, and yet her body reacts with disgust more than with pleasure. His hands grope painfully at her breasts and a small gasp of pain slips from her lips. He smiles, thinking she moaned and not that he hurt her. His alcohol-impaired mind doesn't realize Felicity's hesitancy or disinterest. All he cares is that he has her hot, slightly nude, body pressed against his.

Tommy suddenly pushes Felicity off his lap, and she falls onto her knees on the ground in front of him. He unzips his jeans with a wicked gleam in his eyes and she sighs. Of course he'd want that...most drunk men do. Felicity does her job, and soon Tommy's orgasm shoots into her mouth. She turns to the side and wipes her lips, not wanting any of his seed inside of her. Even if it is just her mouth. She looks up with a fake smile that would please him, yet he has passed out. Felicity's smile widens and she hops to her feet, leaving the sleeping, satisfied, man on the chaise while she goes and changes out of her lingerie and heads home. Now to forget that ever happened…

…

Felicity gets to work early the next day, her mind whirling from the night before. She was lucky that Tommy fell asleep when he did, she knows that, and yet she can't help feeling guilty. He's Oliver's best friend; it is so weird to have "dated" both of them…

 _What does it matter? You aren't Oliver's girlfriend,_ she thinks coldly, and that snaps her out of her stupor much like a bucket of ice water would. She focuses on the codes and numbers in front of her, ignoring any niggling thought that pops up about her night life. Knowing Danny, she will be on the list again tonight… Felicity shakes her head vigorously.

"Focus, Felicity…" she mumbles to herself, and a chuckle in the doorway causes her to jump. She looks up at Oliver, who smiles down at her with a sweet smile on his lips. She blushes slightly, and pushes up her glasses nervously.

"Mr. Queen...what are you doing down here?" she asks, and Oliver's smile falters as his brows knit together with concern. Felicity knows not to call him that...what happened to her? He sits in the chair across from her and she anxiously fiddles with a lock of hair. Something definitely happened.

"You okay, Felicity?" Oliver questions and a blush creeps over her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. What can I do for you today?" she babbles, which concerns Oliver even more.

"Um...Walter wanted some documents on-"

"The Black Corp right. I have it somewhere," Felicity interrupts, desperately wanting Oliver to stop staring at her the way he is. She turns from his bright blue eyes and starts digging through the files scattered around her office.

"Felicity-"

"Give me just one-"

"Felicity!" Oliver grabs her hand, halting her frantic search and forcing her to look up at him. Guilt and shame whirl through her green eyes, and she nips at her bottom lip as he stares at her, "You had a 'date' last night...is that why you are upset?" he whispers and a brighter flush creeps over her cheeks.

"I…" she stops and just nods once. Oliver can't ignore the jealousy that bubbles up in his chest, yet mentioning it now will only make her more uncomfortable than she already is, so he just flashes her a comforting smile.

"Hey. It's okay. You don't need to be nervous around me," he soothes and she nips at her lip again, her eyes flickering to her desk to keep from meeting his gaze.

"It...it's just awkward because I slept with you, and I know Danny...he's going to put me back on the list. He won't let me stop…" Felicity murmurs and Oliver's jealousy pangs viciously through his body. He can't imagine another man touching her, yet he knows he has no right to claim her...she is a grown woman…

"Can't you tell him no?" Oliver questions and she shakes her head.

"Danny is controlling...no matter what I say, I will have to listen to him one way or another," she mumbles before pulling her hand out of Oliver's and grabbing a file. She looks up at him with a fake smile on her red lips and pain buried in her sad eyes, "This is the Black information Mr. Steele was looking for," Felicity chimes with a false optimism that Oliver knows and loathes.

"Thank you for this," Oliver mumbles as he stands, "And Felicity? It is going to be okay...I promise," he smiles down at her before exiting her office. She sighs and flops her head on her desk, all fight and optimism seeping out of her body. Even if he says it will be okay, Felicity can't help the nagging doubt that roots its way deep inside her heart.

* * *

So that is the end of Chapter Five! I hope you all enjoyed it. Let us see what Oliver does with that jealousy of his, now shall we?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hi all! This chapter is short because I split this scene into two chapters. Chapter Seven is a very interesting smut scene, but a smut scene all the same so if y'all aren't interested in that just skip it. Or skim it. Totally up to you. With that said, please enjoy!

* * *

She is onstage again. Her auburn hair shines in the stage lights as she twirls around the pole, her legs keeping her airborne for minutes. Tonight, she wears deep green lingerie and stilettos that make her look elegant and not at all trashy, as she should be. Oliver should be disgusted to know that the best IT at Queen Consolidated works as a stripper and escort, yet he finds himself intrigued by the fiery, intelligent, woman. She excels at her work in Queen Consolidated and from the way Walter talks about her, she is in the running for the Applied Sciences Manager. She would oversee projects, approve experiments, and make Queen Consolidated one of the leading technological companies in the world. Only if she gets hired though; if Moira found out about her night job, she would never let the girl be promoted, and she would definitely fire her. No, Moira Queen cannot find out about this. No matter how much he loves his mother.

Oliver's phone buzzes in his pocket and he caller ID makes him groan: Laurel. The ex-girlfriend keeps calling even though she supposedly wanted nothing to do with him. Yeah right. Oliver curses under his breath and shoves his phone back in his pocket.

"Need another, my friend?" the bartender calls, and Oliver agrees, taking a long swig at the new whisky in front of him. His eyes are drawn back to the stage as Felicity—Meg—spins herself upside down, splaying her legs wide as she holds herself up with her arms. Even if it is just pole dancing, she is talented, and that gives her the most tips from the men. Only at the end of her dance, he watches Danny collect all her cash, peeling out five bills before pocketing the rest. Five bills out of fifty. That is all she makes from this gig, and yet she is stuck here until she pays off her debt. It doesn't seem fair, and it makes Oliver's blood boil. Danny took an ambitious woman and turned her into his puppet.

"Enjoy that men?" Danny chimes in the mike and the men in the club cheer wildly, "Well you are in luck! Meg is joining our Date List tonight so if you are interested in our Emerald Queen, just put your name in the jar at the bar to join the bidding. Enjoy Roxy up next!" Oliver watches the sleazy horde of men drift to the jar at the bar, and Oliver slips his name in as well, even if it is to spare Meg—Felicity—from a night with one of those horny men. At least that is what he tells himself as he follows the herd into that large parlor where the women are auctioned off. He is doing this to protect her, not because he is interested in the IT beauty queen. It is just to protect her.

...

She is on the list again. She may kill Danny before she can pay off her debts to him. He hands her the earnings from tonight—$100 yippee—and tells her she is on the Date List again. He doesn't let her argue or beg or anything; he just storms out of the room. She dresses in the emerald silk stocking/lingerie ensemble Danny gave her earlier that evening, and curses under her breath as she straps on black pumps, a black collar, and lace black cuffs to complete the attire. She almost prefers the baby doll costume to this one. At eleven, she leaves her dressing room with the other ladies, lining up in the hall with the other girls to wait for Danny to come. They wait as ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty minutes go by and then he finally shows up. His face is red and sweaty and he pants as if he just ran a mile.

"Danny?" Roxy hesitantly asks, yet he slaps her before shoving the door open and dragging her inside, the rest of them following out of terror mostly. They kneel on the floor and Danny gives the same opening speech as the nights before starting the bidding. It goes by faster and Felicity is up, standing in front of the crowd of men. Her bidding is more vicious than the night before, probably because Danny forced her to do the upside-down splits tonight. She hates showing her talents, yet he wants more money. He is obsessed with the money.

"One thousand to the blond in the back," Danny calls out and Felicity suddenly has déjà vu…there is no way he would be here now. She peeks up from her docile demeanor, and sees Oliver Queen's blue eyes flooded with relief. Why would he be here now? Now that he knows what she is and how she got there. A small blush creeps over her cheeks as he smiles at her, and she looks back to the ground. Her mind whirling with too many thoughts to keep her emotions straight. She sighs quietly as Danny continues the auction, and time creeps closer to her "date" with Oliver.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hi all! Like I said in Chapter 6, this is a pretty smutty chapter, so skim or skip it if you aren't interested in that. Without further ado, please enjoy!

* * *

Felicity waits until Danny tells the girls to go to their men before she walks over to Oliver, flashing him a seductive smile as she is expected to. She hides her curious anxiety for later.

"Come with me," she purrs as she takes his hand, strutting away to a separate room before turning on him, "What the hell are you doing here?" she hisses quietly.

"I just came for the entertainment," he retorts and she smacks his chest.

"Don't you dare lie to me right now. You even knowing about this is bad, so why are you just extending my living hell?" she snaps, and for once the cocky Oliver Queen falters.

"Honestly?"

"I'll have it no other way,"

"I was worried…you were so dazed today, and I know how these men can be…I thought you would have a better evening if you didn't have to spend it with one of them," he says and Felicity blushes, trying desperately to ignore the memory of her on her knees between Tommy's legs. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath to calm herself.

"But you've already slept with me, and I don't want to make our professional relationship any worse by—"

"You can do no such thing, Felicity. I will treat you just the same as I always do," he replies and she looks up at him with a mixture of relief and confusion. How can one man be so kind to her when all the others treat her as just a piece of ass? When his own friend treated her like a piece of ass? She never would have thought the infamous womanizer, Oliver Queen, could be so considerate.

"Fine," she finally says, leading him to the bed before straddling his lap.

"What are you doing, Fel—"

"My job," she interrupts, "There are cameras in this room. If we don't bang then I'll be fired. Or killed…whichever suits Danny's mood," Oliver wraps his large calloused hands around her waist, and instantly Felicity feels warmer…safer. There is no rowdy lust in his touch, nor perversion in his gaze; he just holds her waist, stroking the soft flesh to make it look like they are doing much more.

"I honestly don't mind if we pretend," Oliver mumbles, surprising himself. In any other case, with any other woman, Oliver would happily surrender to a night of passion. It is different with Felicity though. He wants to protect her from the perversion of this club more than he wants to sleep with her…for now. She readjusts her hips with amusement in her eyes and Oliver holds in a groan as desire washes over him.

"I'm honestly game if you are," she says, leaning closer to his face so the video feed looks as if they are kissing, "You do know we have to get pretty close,"

"I'm game if you are," he repeats, running his hands higher up her back, interested in the goose bumps on her skin, "You sure you're okay with me touching you?"

"Yeah," she replies, "Yeah it's totally fine," In truth, her insides are lighting up like firecrackers, pooling desire low in her belly as she continues to fake a make out session with Oliver Queen, "Maybe we can talk about something to make this less awkward?" she mumbles and he laughs.

"Sure…favorite color?"

"Pink I think. You?"

"Definitely green. I'm shifting the position," Oliver whispers, lifting Felicity by the waist as he stands.

"Why…why green?" she asks as he lays her on her back and positions himself over her, his arms on either side of her head, and his hips splayed between her legs. She knows from experience that he was exceptionally skilled at this position among many other positions.

"Green is peaceful I guess," Oliver mumbles though the real reason he likes that color is that it is the color of the lingerie pressed to her skin at the moment. The other day, he would have said blue. She shifts and he is instantly brought back to reality. He cannot let himself get lost in the red locks fanning out beneath them or the emerald silk bra cupping her breasts as his hands once did. No, he promised this would be a fake night so she won't get in trouble with the sleazy manager.

"So why do you like pink?" Oliver questions.

"Huh?" Felicity looks up at him and he grins, his eyes twinkling with flirty seduction as he recognizes the lust flushing on her face.

"Getting distracted, girlie?"

"No. I'm fine. Just…um…yeah totally distracted. Can you not put your hips so close to mine?"

"You want them to know we are faking?"

"Well no…although your clothes do pose a problem," Felicity mumbles and Oliver's face knits up in confusion.

"My clothes? How?"

"Oliver, look at me. When I do these date nights, most men are naked," she responds before blushing brightly as Oliver's eyes scan slowly over her body with a smirk on his lips, "Okay, don't look at me like that," Oliver chuckles lightly.

"Well what do you suggest? I'm pretty sure you don't want me propped over you naked," Oliver retorts and her cheeks light to a deep rosy hue.

"No…no. No, that would be a very bad idea, but we really don't want Danny to know,"

"We could just be making out right now. He won't know the difference," he suggests, and Felicity shrugs, her breasts pushing up against her bra. Her body is highly distracting, but Oliver is doing his best not to succumb to his desires.

"I have an idea. Get off me," Felicity mumbles. Oliver stands and she slowly runs her fingers up his torso to the top button of his shirt. One by one, she opens it, exposing smooth muscular flesh, "Now sit next to me," Oliver does as he is told, and Felicity stands, her cheeks glowing brighter as she kneels in front of him.

"Oh man, why—"

"If we were making out, this…position would be the next one a drunk guy would want me in," she says, not wanting to admit that the drunk guy she is referring to is Tommy.

"Yeah, but—"

"Sh, Oliver, don't talk too much. It'll look suspicious. Just put your hands in my hair or something," Felicity demands as the two of them assume the blowjob position. Oliver loops his fingers in her hair before leaning back to stare over her pink blushing cheeks, rouged lips, and red wig, remembering two nights ago when the two of them shared many passionate moments. He looks away, not wanting to think about that night with her so close to his lap. If she sees a boner, this could get awkward.

"Call me Meg, okay? He can't see you mouth my real name. Got it?"

"Yeah, Meg. It'll be fine though,"

"I know…these date nights just really suck for me," Felicity mumbles and Oliver bites back a groan as his imagination goes haywire.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about you and sucking when you're this close to my dick, okay?" Oliver counters and Felicity's blush brightens to a fiery red. She glances up at him with eyes flashing with desire and embarrassment, "Hey, Meg, it's gonna be okay,"

"Oh I know…this was way easier before I found out you're one of my bosses. Then you figured this out and now I'm really screwed," This time her eyes widen as images of him thrusting into her crosses her mind, "Really bad wording,"

"Yeah we need to watch what you say," Oliver whispers through clenched teeth so the video feed can't understand him.

"I'm sorry Oliver…does your mother know about all of this?" Felicity asks and Oliver shakes his head no, "Okay good. That is the last thing I need right now," Oliver leans over and lifts her face, looking as if the two of them are kissing and not talking.

"Trust me, I am highly aware of the consequences if my mother finds out about your nightlife," Oliver replies, his lips inches away and begging to connect with hers. But a promise is a promise, and this is to remain fake.

"My legs are cramping…we need a new position," Felicity whispers and Oliver smiles lightly.

"Any ideas, or should I choose?"

"Go right ahead," she mumbles and instantly she is off her feet, once again in Oliver's arms as he carries her to the wall, both of their faces obscured by the others. Her legs wrap around his waist, her arms around his neck, and his arms around her hips, "Well this is cozy,"

"It does give us the privacy to chat," Oliver says, though he knows he picked this position of wall-banging sex just to feel her body pressed against him. Felicity doesn't mind the contact and runs her fingers over his muscular abs as desire races under her skin. He is making it hard for her not to just give in and have sex with him. Something in her makes her think that is what he truly wants.

"Oliver—"

"Felicity?" he interjects, cocking an eyebrow as she strokes his solid chest once again.

"Oliver this is hard," she whispers, but the flash in his eyes says that she picked the wrong words to say. A shift of her hips confirms that this situation isn't the only hard thing in the room.

"I can pretend to cum and leave," Oliver suggests and she hesitates, biting her red lips lightly.

"You need to stay at least thirty minutes to make it worth your time, and money," she mumbles.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable with my…obvious attraction to you," Oliver says and she smiles.

"Thank you, but I can handle a boner just fine,"

"Oh I know," Oliver retorts with that seductive gleam in his eyes. Felicity digs her nails into his back and he hisses, "Sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't help that statement when you are pressed against me," she loosens her claws from his skin and smirks.

"Yeah I kind of figured your mind is in the gutter,"

"I'm in the deep sewers of innuendos and fantasies," he mumbles, his deep voice shaking her to the core. Her skin is hot and sensitive, her body aches, and every subconscious nerve is telling her to rock on his cock and get on with it. Her legs lightly twitch and Oliver swallows a moan. That is probably the last thing on this girl's mind. Hence why he hasn't made a move on her yet.

"Oliver…" Felicity starts, but she stops with a nip to her lip.

"Yes…?" he prompts yet she just leans her head back on the wall and sighs.

"Do you want to cum and go?" she asks and he freezes because every nerve in his body is telling him that he can't leave, that he should bring this beautiful woman to ecstasy again.

"Only if you answer this question will I consider it,"

"What's the question?"

"Did you enjoy the other night?" Oliver questions with liquid fire in his eyes.

"Why does that—"

"Yes or no, Felicity,"

"If you must know…yes," she replies and a smirk crosses over his face, "But I don't know if we should do it again, since I remembered the camera thing and I don't want Danny to see that all again,"

"Screw Danny," is all Oliver says before he kisses her, his lips bringing her passion to the surface as she kisses him back, surprised that she can have such a response even though she knows Danny could be watching. Oliver just felt so good pressed against her mouth and her body that she cannot help but respond so enthusiastically. He kisses down her neck, and she moans so lightly it almost sounds like a mew.

"You don't have to be with me," Oliver says between his nips and kisses on her collar, "But I really would like to give you the pleasure you deserve," she grasps his chin between her fingers and lifts his mouth back to hers.

"Please," Felicity mutters against his lips, affirming her desire with another grind of her hips on his. As much as he just wants to unzip and stick it in, Oliver controls his desires by moving away from the wall to a chaise lounge in the corner. He sets her on it, kissing her body as he slowly wiggles her out of her lingerie and lace cuffs. His hands stroke her breasts and thighs before his hand cups her core. Felicity squirms as his fingers tease her sex, and moans against Oliver's body, kisses, and touches. He drops to his knees and kisses her core, licking and sucking her clit until she cries out his name. Her body trembles as he coaxes her orgasm for minutes.

"Holy…oh holy shit," she stammers, running her fingers through his short hair before pulling him back up to her mouth. She tastes herself in their kiss, which spurs her desire instead of repelling her. Oliver grins against her lips.

"I'm sorry I didn't do that last night," he whispers yet she shrugs and smiles.

"I'm sorry I'm a complicated woman," she replies.

"I like that you are complex. You intrigue me," he mumbles before she pulls him up and shoves him on the bed. She straddles his lap again, unzipping his jeans.

"It is my turn to please you now,"

"Let it be mutual," Oliver retorts with a wicked smile that promises so much more.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey all! I hope everyone is having a good week. I got a lot of reviews basically along the lines of saying Oliver should pay Felicity's debt, and she needs to get away from Danny. Trust me. I know. Danny is the sleaziest of sleazes, and she'll get away from him. Eventually. Also, I don't know of any way someone can make a twenty-thousand something dollar payment to a guy like Danny Moreno without there being a paper trail. One reason Oliver simply hasn't just bought Felicity from Danny is because 1: there will be a paper trail, which would look REALLY bad for the Queens, and 2: They did just meet. Yes Oliver has feelings for her, but not QUITE enough to buy her. So, please bear with me for a little longer.

With that said, I hope you guys enjoy this.

* * *

Felicity is at work earlier than usual, trying to do her IT work, as usual, yet her mind wanders to muscular arms wrapped around her waist and hot flesh pressed deep into her body. She shouldn't have slept with Oliver Queen again, but then again she shouldn't be in the situation where she has to work as an escort at night. She can't ask Danny to let her out though…no matter how much she saves, it won't be enough. A knock on her office door has her jumping and Sally, another IT guru, walks in the office.

"Hey Felicity, am I interrupting you?" she asks as she sits in a chair in front of her.

"No. No, you are totally fine. I needed a distraction; my numbers stopped making sense and now I need to figure out why. What's on your mind, Sally?"

"Oh, um well have you heard of Merlyn Global?"

"Yeah they are Queen's number one competitors, why?"

"Mr. Steele asked me to investigate their financials and I was hoping you had a contact on the inside," she says and Felicity's face falls in confusion. Why would Walter need the financials for Merlyn Global?

"Let me handle it, Sally. I may know someone who has an in with the Merlyns. You can finish these two virus sweeps for me," Felicity replies, handing Sally a flash drive. Sally smiles and hands Felicity a flash drive of her own.

"You are the best, Smoak, I owe you one," Sally chimes as she scurries out of the office. Felicity plugs in the drive and sees a proposal from Merlyn Global to purchase the Applied Science Division for triple what the other companies were proposing.

"Holy shit…" Felicity mumbles, her fingers flying over the keys as she tries to find more information about the Merlyn, like whether they had the kind of green they were proposing, why they weren't interested in a merger, and what type of projects were prominent in their business. What she stumbles on is an article about Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen going on a clubbing spree that ended at the infamous Painted Ladies strip joint that Felicity happens to work at as Meg.

 _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…_ she thinks as she quickly hacks into the online system where the article originated and deletes it. No matter what that article might say the worst part is the connection between Queen and that club. If someone researched it, they would find Meg, and then they would find her…

She logs out of her system and locks it before hurrying to her feet and out of her office. She hops in the elevator and watches as the numbers count off the floors between IT and the Exec floor where Oliver Queen now has an office. She knocks on the wood door, and when his deep voice beckons her inside, she steps in, closing the door behind her.

"Felicity," Oliver says, stunned to see the blonde girl in his office after last night. They both left the club as soon as they were satisfied, but without a single word of gratitude or farewell. They just left. Oliver thought she might have been embarrassed, yet the face in front of him holds more terror and curiosity than shame, "How can I help you today?"

"Tommy Merlyn is your friend, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"Is…is he the reason you ended up at The Painted Ladies?"

"Yeah, he is…why? What is going on, Felicity?" Oliver asks, confused and concerned. Felicity walks to the other side of his desk and plugs in the flash drive, bringing up the sales proposal from Merlyn Global. Oliver reads it, and his brows furrow.

"Why would Merlyn want Applied Sciences…?"

"I don't know, but when I did some research, all I could find was an article about you and Tommy and the club, so I deleted it and came up here. Do you think Tommy knows I'm Meg?"

"Well, I doubt he'd put two and two together. It took me looking at your eyes to realize it was you, and I spent the night with you so…"

"So did he," she blurts and Oliver goes rigid, his whole body shocked by her words as an ugly emotion curls through his veins. He can't even imagine Tommy with Felicity, nor does he want to...it takes him a moment to realize that emotion is jealousy.

"What…?" he asks and a blush crosses her cheeks.

"Tommy…he was my client the other night. I mean we didn't really do much! He fell asleep after—"

"I don't need to know, Felicity," Oliver roughly interrupts, and her eyes widen. He sighs, furious with himself for letting his jealousy rear its ugly head, "I apologize…honestly I don't think Tommy knows it's you. He probably just bought you because I did. We unfortunately have a similar taste in women…" Oliver growls and she sighs.

"Are you sure he isn't that clever…?" Felicity asks lightly, and Oliver smiles, gently reassuring her with his soft blue eyes.

"I promise. Tommy only stares at the tits," he replies and she smiles. That statement is very true.

"Thank you, Oliver. For…well for everything," she murmurs.

"Even last night?" he questions, getting that nagging guilt off his chest once and for all. Felicity's cheeks turn bright pink and she nods.

"Even for last night," she whispers, planting a light kiss on his cheek before there is a knock on the door. She pulls away, grabs the drive from his computer, and steps to the other side of the desk as Moira Queen hurls open the door.

"Good afternoon, Mother. Miss Smoak was just giving me some Applied Sciences data for Mr. Steele. Keep up the good work," Oliver says, looking at Felicity with eyes that beg, _Some other time. I don't want to get you in trouble._

"Of course, Mr. Queen. I will get the rest of that data for you and Mr. Steele as soon as I can," Felicity replies, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Queen," she adds as she scurries from the office and down to the safety of her 10X10 office.

"Well that was nice for her to deliver that information personally. An email wouldn't suffice?" Moira questions as she perches on a chair in front of Oliver.

"She said there was an attempt for a firewall breach today, so it was safer to bring me a USB drive with all the encrypted numbers. She's the IT girl, so she would know," Oliver mumbles with a shrug. He must feign disinterest or his mother would never leave him alone about his growing attachment for Felicity Smoak.

"Indeed she would…"

"Miss Smoak isn't the only reason you came to see me, is she?" Oliver counters, drawing his mother to safer topics than the girl with such a sordid history.

"Oh yes! Walter wants a meeting about Merlyn Global. Apparently, they have been trying to get into our system, and today Mr. Merlyn sent Walter a very threatening email, saying he must sell the Applied Sciences Division to him or else there will be consequences. I have no idea what he means, but you and Miss Smoak need to be ready for the meeting by 6:00pm tonight. There are no exceptions," Moira explains.

"I'll be there, Mother,"

"Good," she mumbles as she gets to her feet, "And don't be late, Oliver. This is important,"

"I won't be," Oliver replies though his punctuality will not be for her sake, but for Felicity's sake. Her having to stay here means she can't be at the club…maybe it is a good thing, yet something in Oliver says that it honestly won't be good for her.

"Only time will tell," he mumbles to himself.

* * *

That's all she wrote! I move next week to Oregon, so I may or may not be updating before then. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

Surprise! I wanted to get a few more chapters out before I take off tomorrow in my move, so here we are! Chapter Nine is short, and I apologize for that. There's a method to my madness, I swear. Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

6:00PM. Felicity stares at the time, yet she is helpless. When Walter told her of the meeting, he said it was mandatory and her missing it would be motive for early termination from her contract. She can't be fired from her day job, so she will just have to face Danny's wrath when she arrives late tonight. Maybe he will be lenient…yeah she knows that isn't likely.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, Merlyn Global has been trying to merge/buy off the Applied Science Division from Queen Consolidated for several years now. Apparently, Mr. Merlyn has found evidence that will force us to sell to him, yet he just sent that evidence now, so I would like all of you to witness what blackmail he holds over our heads," Walter Steele announces before clinking a link on his laptop. The overhead projector fires to life and on the projector screen is a very grainy image of Oliver in a red room with cushions all over the place, a chaise lounge, and a bed. Video Oliver thrusts his naked body against a woman whose hands grip the sheets, her head tilted back in wild pleasure. Felicity knows exactly who that woman is, and where that room is, yet she almost can't believe it.

"That's impossible…" Oliver mumbles as Moira stares pale-faced at the video. As soon as the clip cuts out, she turns a venomous glare on her son, while Felicity stares at her tablet, trying to hide her blushing face.

"You spent an evening with a WHORE?!" Moira cries; Felicity furiously types on her tablet, hacking into the system that that video was sent from so she can find out who accessed the tapes of her and Oliver and when.

"Is it so hard to believe? I was bored, and yes Tommy and I went to a strip club and we both ended up spending the night with an escort. You shouldn't be so surprised," Oliver says defensively.

"You are a Queen, Oliver. You cannot just throw your life away at parties and strip clubs. How do you think the investors will look on that behavior?"

"I never wanted to be part of this com—"

"But now you are, and you just ruined everything!"

"Maybe not," Felicity mumbles and suddenly Moira's vicious glare is on her.

"What do you mean, you stupid girl? You saw the video," Moira screams and Felicity's cheeks turn a fiery red because she didn't just see the video, she lived it. She can still remember the feeling of Oliver's hands on her skin as he thrust into her so wildly. She nervously pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah I know, but it's a video. If I can find out who sent it, and from where, then we can find out who is giving the Merlyns blackmail. Bonus, if I find the origin, I can hack in the system and delete all the video feed of Oliver and his lady friend," Felicity says and Walter nods.

"Brilliant. You do that now, and once you are done you can go for the evening. But only once you are done,"

"Of course…" Felicity mumbles, working as fast as her fingers could type. She already knew the origin of the video—her club—now all she needed to find was who tapped into the system for the feed of Oliver screwing her. Three…two…

"It was Tommy," she says, shocked by the name that flashes on her screen and the image of him in the security room of The Painted Ladies. He accessed the videos the night he bought Felicity...and Danny was right behind him in all of this, "Tommy downloaded the video feed…it looks like his father paid 10,000 for him to take you to that strip club in the first place," Felicity mumbles as she hacks into his banking information, "I can delete all versions of that video and wipe it from the hard drive on all of Merlyn Global computers, but it will take time. There is a firewall on most of them, but it is pretty basic,"

"I can't believe Tommy would blackmail us like this," Oliver mutters, "We used to be such close friends,"

"Laurel Lance is the meaning of this. Remember you used to date her too, and her father was telling me that Tommy and Laurel are having issues," Moira growls and Felicity's fingers trip over the keys. She forgot Oliver Queen dates like a normal guy. Of course, a guy as attractive as him would date, but for his ex-girlfriend to be a semi-famous lawyer like Laurel Lance? Man, Oliver must be slumming it when he is in Felicity's bed. _Not like the two of you are really dating_ , her mind cynically reminds her as she finishes her last deletion.

"It's done…" Felicity mumbles, "May I go now, Mr. Steele? I have somewhere I need to be,"

"Of course. Thank you, Felicity. You really did just save our company," he responds.

"Remember that later," she mumbles as she flees the room with her tablet in hand. Moira blocks Oliver from leaving, sitting him down for a long talk about moral and fiscal responsibilities. Felicity has her own immoral and fiscal responsibilities to get to, and as she pulls out of the parking lot, she prays that Danny won't be too mad at her.

* * *

Okay all, I hope you liked that chapter. The next one is WAY Mature, so if you are squeamish to violence or anything, feel free to skip over it, and go straight to Chapter 11. Whenever Chapter 11 gets posted...


	10. Chapter 10

This chapter is rated M for violence and language. Proceed with that knowledge.

* * *

8:00PM Felicity finishes her dance and steps offstage, sweating and sticky from the energy she put into that dance after hauling ass across town and into her black glittery costume. As she walks down the hall, Danny's office door flies open, and a large hand drags her inside. She squeals as her back slams into the wall, and the large hand clamps on her throat.

"Where the hell were you?!" Danny shouts, shaking her like a rag doll by the neck. Felicity grabs his arm, digging her nails in as she tries to pull him off her.

"Danny, I'm sorry! I made it in time for my dance! That is all that matters!" she cries between gasps of air. He tightens his grip and she chokes, her body begging for the air she isn't receiving. Black spots touch her eyes, and finally he lets her go. She drops to the ground, coughing in air as he stands over her with wicked fire in his eyes and tightly locked jaw.

"You were out screwing someone, weren't you?"

"God, Danny no. I wasn't fucking anybody, okay? I was just late,"

"I know how you fuck. You like to act like a whore," Danny spits, proving that he has been watching her the past couple of nights.

"I was just late," she repeats before Danny kicks her.

"Where the hell were you?!" he growls, kicking her side once again.

"Nowhere! I was just late!" Felicity repeats, knowing that her beating would be worse if she told him that she had another job, and wasn't giving him any profits from it. The blows to her side cause her to cough and wheeze, yet she reminds herself it could be worse.

"You're lying!"

"I was just late Danny," she repeats and repeats it as Danny delivers kicks and blows to her nearly naked form.

"Maybe this will teach you to never—I mean NEVER—be late again," he snaps as he rips his belt off his waist, drops his trousers and lands on top of her. She struggles to break free, yet he slaps her in the face and straddles her hips. Danny pulls at her lingerie, yet she can feel his soft member against her bare hip. He can't get hard. She tries to move out from under him, but he grabs her neck and she freezes.

"Danny…please,"

"I am not letting you go. You are mine. I don't care if I can't fuck you like the whore you are. I will make sure you know you are mine," he hisses with an obsessive gleam in his eyes. He lets go of her neck before he reaches into his back pocket. The gleam of his pocket knife has her fighting again. She doesn't want to die a slave to this man. She wants to live! Felicity kicks and screams, yet he holds her down and starts carving into her chest as if she is cattle and not a woman. With each slash and each scream, she feels his cock quiver. The next slash has her swallowing her screams. Danny stops, and stares down at her.

"You are a monster," she growls through clenched teeth, "And I will not give you such perverse pleasure," He throws the knife and slaps her again, yet she doesn't scream. She barely makes a sound. Her silence has him so furious he hops off her to kick her again, and in that moment she flees. She throws the office door open and runs out the back door, grabbing only a coat to hide her glittery form. She hops in her car and drives, though with her blurry vision she knows she can't get back to her home. She pulls into a wooded area where trees obscure her car in case Danny tries to hunt her down tonight. Felicity grabs her phone, and finds the only person who can help her.

"Oliver Queen here," his deep voice is like a blessing to her ears and she chokes on a sob.

"Oliver…I…I need help," she whimpers and she hears the sharp intake of air on the other end.

"Felicity? Felicity, where are you?" Oliver demands, concern pouring in each word.

"I…I don't know. I saw the sign for the bridge, but my vision is super…I didn't make bridge, but—trees. I'm in trees somewhere before bridge but not at club. Never again at the club…" her words cut out as her vision blurs and her world goes black.

* * *

Okay so that's all she wrote. The rest of this week and next week I will be moving, so you probably won't hear from me again for a bit. Thanks to all who reviewed this! I really appreciate it!


	11. Chapter 11

And I'm back! Moving has been super crazy, but I'm so glad I had some downtime to post this chapter for you all. If you skipped 10, Danny beat Felicity up, and she called Oliver to help her out. I got a lot of comments saying that that chapter was too intense, and I'm sorry if you thought so...I did warn you.

* * *

Any who, let's get on with the show!

"Felicity…hey Felicity wake up. Come on, girlie, you need to wake now," Oliver's voice penetrates her mind and suddenly she jolts awake, gasping for air as phantom hands choke her, "Hey, hey, lovie, you're okay. Calm down. It's just me," Felicity looks into Oliver's blue eyes and instantly falls back.

"Oliver…thank you…" she rasps, her throat dry from abuse and dehydration. He immediately hands her a cup of water, which she chugs down in a matter of seconds, "Where am I?"

"You're at my home. It's safe here," Oliver mumbles as Felicity panics.

"Oliver, you can't have me in your home in glitter lingerie and all beat up! Jeez, what if your mother comes over or something!"

"My mother has no reason to be at my home at one in the morning, and no one saw me carry you up here. I figured I could get you patched up and then you could tell me where you live, and I'll take you there. I would've done that first, but you were out cold when I found you,"

"Danny…this was Danny…" she mumbles, "I'm sorry I called you…I know we aren't much more than fuck buddies, but I needed someone and—"

"Hey, girlie, you can call me anytime. Really, there is no reason to apologize," Oliver counters, though he is shocked that she would categorize their friendship as fuck buddies…though he couldn't label it either. They were definitely not a traditional couple.

"Thank you…god my head hurts,"

"Just rest, Felicity. You can stay as long as you need. You can even shower if you want. I'll try to find something for you to wear besides sequins…why the hell did they make you look like you were in a cabaret?" Oliver mumbles and she laughs before gasping in pain.

"Seriously though. Oliver…I need to—" she stops talking when his phone rings. He looks at the ID and rolls his eyes.

"It's Laurel…do you mind if I answer this?"

"No. No, go ahead," she stammers, hiding her inner turmoil from him. Laurel would call when she was about to ask where she stood with him...Oliver wanders off and Felicity leans back against the pillow again. A few minutes later, he comes back.

"I'm sorry. She—" he pauses, noticing his blonde friend has fallen asleep. He goes to adjust the blanket on her and freezes. She has hand prints dug into her neck, bruises and cuts all over her torso, a black eye, fat lip, and boot marks all along her thighs. His anger has him seeing red, yet instead of picking a fight with the sleazy pimp, Oliver is going to do everything in his power to get Felicity out of that club, and everyone knows the Queen family has a lot of power. He strokes his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face as she sleeps a pain-induced-sleep. He has come to admire her as much as he desires her, and that could cause some issues later down the line. But for now, he is going to get her out. Of that he is damn sure.

...

Felicity wakes up the next morning showered and dressed in her own pajamas in her own apartment. She even had bandages wrapped around her waist where Danny carved in. Only issue is she doesn't quite remember how she got there. She glances at the clock with blurry eyes. **8:00AM**. She was supposed to be at Queen Consolidated an hour ago.

"Crap, crap, crap!" she cries as she scurries around her apartment, brushing her hair and teeth before throwing her closet open. She picks tights to cover her bruised legs, a pencil skirt, long sleeved top, and a light decorative scarf to hide the garishly purple marks on her throat. A high ponytail, glasses, and thick makeup cover the rest of the bruises before she throws on a pair of pumps and hurries out the door. She drives at record speed to Queen Consolidated, squeals into a spot, and runs inside. She reaches her office right as Walter Steele knocks on the door.

"Felicity, I am glad to see you in here," he greets, his voice holding that subtle disapproving tone he uses when she doesn't quite meet his standards.

"Mr. Steele, I am so sorry. I was having car troubles this morning, and couldn't get here any sooner. I apologize for missing that meeting, but I do have all the specs Mr. Black was looking for right here. And here are the documents that Mr. Blade and Mr. Stevens were interested in. All of them have separate folders for their data as well," Felicity explains, handing him the work she put together yesterday before the whole Tommy Merlyn fiasco.

"Well thank you, Miss Smoak. As always, you have impressed me. I do hope you got your car fixed?"

"Yeah it luckily was a computer issue. Just my specialty," she lies with a smile and Mr. Steele laughs.

"Indeed it is. Keep up the good work," he says before he exits her office. She flops in her chair, slowly logging into her system to do more work for other Execs, but mostly digging into Merlyn's business to find some dirt on them to retaliate with. Especially on Tommy. He would be the easiest target for Mr. Steele, but Felicity knows that he is expecting more from her. And she will always give them more than they expect.

At three, Felicity stretches her very sore body, and suspends her computer so she can take a much-needed coffee break. She stands, stretches one more time, and exits her office only to run into a very hard man that _oophs_ when her head connects with his chest. Felicity tumbles back against the wall before looking up to see Oliver rubbing his chest and Diggle, the security guy, laughing at their stumble.

"You know you warned me she was clumsy, Oliver, but you never said she was blind," the tall hulking man says as Felicity straightens herself, sliding her glasses back up her nose.

"I'm not blind. I was just not expecting people at my door. This is the Bat Cave. No one goes in the Bat Cave," she retorts, causing the two men to smile.

"A Batman fan. We'll get along just fine then," Diggle replies and now Felicity is confused.

"Why do we need to get along?"

"Be nice, Felicity. He's doing me a favor," Oliver mumbles and the look in his eyes tells her exactly why he is introducing her to the Head of Security.

"Oliver, I'm fine," she whispers, "I just need coffee but besides that I'm totally fine,"

"Let's all get some java then, and we can talk there," Diggle suggests as Sally pops her head out of her office, curious as to what is going on with Felicity in the hall. The blonde nods and slowly follows the two men to the coffee shop across the street. After ordering, they sit in the back corner at a table away from prying eyes and ears.

"Oliver told me a little about your predicament, but he wanted you to tell me the rest…so who beat you up?" Diggle asks and she goes rigid.

"Is it that obvious…?"

"Normally you don't wear scarves," Diggle replies with a light shrug, "I'm trained to spot the unusual. Now please explain to me why Oliver Queen is worried about his IT girl's safety?" Felicity shoots Oliver a look that screams _THIS is why we don't tell anyone!_ Yet all Oliver does is shrug. Felicity sighs, takes a huge gulp of coffee, and decides to trust Diggle. After all, he was in the military. He's held bigger secrets than this before.

"First off, you must promise me you will tell nobody about what I say. Got it?" she starts. Just to be sure he'll swear a vow of silence.

"Of course," he says in all seriousness.

"Okay good…I work as a dancer at the Painted Ladies. Not by choice, mind you, but because I borrowed some money from Danny Moreno a while back, and he's having me pay off my debt that way. I wanted to go to school, you know? I didn't think…anyways he is more than just a club owner, but he is also a pimp. He has 'Date Nights' at his club where he whores out his girls,"

"And you were one of them?" Diggle asks and Felicity nods, "How did Oliver find out about this?" This time Oliver is the one to go rigid.

"Again, you are sworn to secrecy. Not because I'm your boss, though, because I'm your friend," Oliver pleads and Diggle nods, "Felicity was the girl I ended up sleeping with the night Tommy and I went to that club," Diggle's eyes widen and he leans back in his chair.

"Shit, Oliver…that really isn't good,"

"You're telling me. Tommy tried using the video as blackmail for his dad, but Felicity deleted it. No one else knows of her connection to the club or her connection to me. Except you now," Oliver explains. Diggle rests his elbows on the table, silently thinking of all that was said.

"First things first: does your car have a GPS?" Diggle randomly says and both Felicity and Oliver nod, confusion knotting their brows together, "Felicity you need to delete the hard drive. Even if Oliver didn't type the address into the system, it will still track his movements. Stupid rich people. Second: Oliver you are never allowed to go to that club again. Never. The more you go, the deeper involved you are, and the worse it will be if someone puts two and two together. You both will be screwed. Third: When are date nights?"

"Every day except Wednesday and Thursday…why?" Felicity mumbles and Diggle grins a wicked Cheshire Cat grin.

"I've got a buddy in the sex crimes unit who owes me a favor or two. With your help, we will have enough proof to arrest Danny Moreno and the creeps who will be at that club…Oliver you paid in cash, right?"

"Of course, Diggle. I'm not a total idiot,"

"At the moment, that is totally questionable," he mumbles before turning to Felicity, "Will you help us?" she hesitates, worried that if she helps her whole world will come crashing down. And not in a good way.

"Two questions: will I be anonymous, and will I have to go to jail if I help?" she asks and now Diggle hesitates.

"I don't know, but you will be free from him," he replies.

"That is what you want, right?" Oliver interjects, a soft supportive smile on his lips. Her mind whirls over so many different concepts, like whether she is going to lose her job at QC because of Danny, or if she wants to live her life in fear and terror and shame.

"Ask your cop friend if I will be arrested, then get back to me…" Felicity exclaims before standing, "I need to get back to work while I still have a job,"

"Let us walk you back," Oliver suggests but she shakes her head no.

"Thank you, but I'm fine," she says, wandering out of the café.

"Please keep an eye on her, Diggle…from the beating she got last night, I don't think Danny is going to wait until she goes back to the club to try and beat the crap out of her again,"

"I completely agree," Diggle growls, slipping out of the shop incredibly quietly for such a large man. Oliver sighs and gathers his coffee. The ball is in her court now…

* * *

And that's all she wrote. I hope you like it! See you next week!


	12. Chapter 12

Hi all! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Things are finally coming to an end with the Danny plot point, but I may've a few things up my sleeves before this tale comes to a complete resolution. With that said, onto the chapter!

* * *

 **6:02PM**. Felicity stares at the time on her computer, anxiety and relief swirling through her bloodstream simultaneously. She knows she should be heading for the club, but only an idiot would walk into a punishment like that again. No. Felicity is done with the club. All day she thought about Diggle's offer, and even if she does have to spend some time in jail, she would do it. She can't stand the fact that Danny is getting away with all the things he's done to her and the other girls. As Felicity wanders to meetings and computer inspections, she sees Diggle's shadow in the halls and stairways. Not like she minds though. It makes her oddly happy that Oliver cares enough to have his security guard shadowing her.

A small smile crosses Felicity's lips as a reoccurring idea pops into her head…if she no longer worked at the club, and lived a normal life as an IT girl, maybe she and Oliver could continue what they've started. Of course, the cynical thoughts follow chastising her for such idiocy since she is totally not his type. Fate gave them a few nights together, and that should be enough. A knock on the door shocks her out of her thoughts, and Diggle's huge form steps into her office, crouching his head so it doesn't bump into the ceiling lamp.

"For a Bat Cave, this place is pretty small," Diggle teases before sitting in the chair in front of Felicity. She smiles and suspends her computer activity.

"As I said before, not many people come into my cave. Especially not tall men," Felicity retorts, "So how can I help you this evening?"

"I was just making sure you weren't heading for the club tonight," Diggle says and Felicity scoffs.

"Yeah hell no. I am not going back to a place like that. I'd rather go to prison,"

"Well that isn't likely to happen. I talked to my friend in sex crimes. He almost shit himself when I told him I had a lead on the dirt bag Danny, so I added your immunity in the deal for your testimony. He said he'll give you that and some fucking flowers if all you say is true," Diggle exclaims, chuckling at his friend. Felicity's heart leaps for joy, knowing she can officially be free of Danny. Soon. Soon it will all be over.

"Let's go. I want to get this over with," Felicity says as she gathers her bag, shuts off her computer, and adjusts the scarf around her neck. Diggle stands and shrugs in his slumped posture.

"If you wanna do it now, let's go. I'm not going to hold you—or the best bust in a decade—back," the two of them laugh and head out to Diggle's car, "You know Oliver wanted to come with us if you did the police interview, but I told him it would be too risky to get even more involved,"

"Funny, I tell myself the same thing about him," Felicity mumbles under her breath and Diggle laughs loudly.

"Yeah you should probably keep telling yourself that. At least until this mess with Moreno and Merlyn is all cleared up," he exclaims as they get in his car and start the short drive to the police station, "You're going to be a free woman, Felicity,"

"I know…it doesn't seem real,"

"Oh it is though, and I promise you will be fine once this all gets worked out," Diggle says as he parks along the street and leads Felicity into the police department. Shouts, phone calls, and people fill the building, overwhelming the quiet IT girl for a moment. She sees one of the cops shouting in the corner, a small woman shouting right back at him. Felicity freezes when she sees the pixie cut black haired woman turn, catching sight of Felicity.

"Roxy?! Roxy, what are you doing here?" she cries as she hurries over to her friend.

"Looking for you! Danny said you were dead after last night, and I thought he made good on his threat. He's going fucking crazy; he doesn't want to let you go. Ever," Roxy quickly says before Diggle comes and towers behind the blonde girl, "Um, hello. Who is this hunk?" Felicity laughs and steps to the side, letting Diggle introduce himself to her feisty friend.

"Felicity…we need to go," Diggle mumbles and Roxy looks at her.

"Go where? Why are you here?"

"It's a long story, Roxy, but if you really want all this to end, you should come with us," Felicity says and all Roxy does is nod, following the two into an interrogation room where a thin, stocky, cop waits for them.

"Officer Valdez, this is my friend Anonymous and her friend, Anonymous Too," Diggle says as the three of them sit down across from the cop.

"Ah, so there is one more girl willing to step forward?"

"Same deal as the blonde: no prison time, and full anonymity. I want the two of them safe. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, Diggle. We know. The DA is just psyched that they are going to get dirt on the Painted Ladies and stop the largest sex crimes operations in the entire city. So…ladies shall we begin?" the cop says, cuing Felicity to begin. On record, she tells her tale of broke college student borrowing from Danny Moreno and that's when he forced her into the sex business to pay off her debts. She doesn't include her day job or any of the men she may have "dated", only because she didn't know their names except Oliver Queen, and she wasn't going to implicate him. Roxy tells her tale that is very similar to Felicity's and once the ladies are done, the cop clears his throat.

"Anonymous, you said that Danny beat you recently. Is there physical proof of that?" Valdez asks, his eyes full of compassion. Felicity pulls the scarf loose and exposes the bruises on her neck.

"There are plenty more like this all over my body," Felicity admits and Valdez whistles low.

"Okay, so I am going to have a female cop take photos of your wounds after you both fill out a signed testimony form, and then you can go home. Sound good?" Valdez asks and both the girls nod, "Fill these out, and Officer Warren will be in to see you, Anonymous. Thank you, ladies. Really," he exits the room and a petite female cop comes in a few minutes later with a camera.

"I'm here if you need me, girlie," Roxy says and Felicity smiles.

"Thank you, but I'm okay," she replies, hugging Roxy before Diggle takes her out of the interrogation room. Officer Warren drops blinds over the two-way mirror.

"You are safe in here, okay?" she murmurs and Felicity nods. She lifts her shirt off, removes the bandages on her waist, and slides out of her tights and skirt. She patiently stands in just her bra and underwear as Warren takes photos of all the cuts and bruises. She collects fingernail scrapings even though Felicity told her she showered.

"I can't believe this happened to you…" Officer Warren whispers and she shrugs.

"Bad luck I guess,"

"You're a brave woman," Warren says, handing Felicity her clothes again, "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," The warm smile on her lips melts the cold pity that was forming in Felicity's heart.

"Thank you. That is really kind of you," she dresses quickly and rejoins Diggle and Roxy in the now-not-so-busy police lobby.

"Is that all, Diggle…I mean are we really done with that place?" Roxy asks as the three of them step out onto the darkened street.

"Pretty much. They need a warrant, but the raid is going to go down late tonight. You ladies should stay far away from the club…okay?"

"You don't need to tell me twice," Felicity mumbles.

"Likewise," Roxy adds, "How about we go back to your place for a celebratory toast?" Felicity grins.

"I'm totally down. Diggle, you wanna come?" he just smiles and shakes his head.

"As much as I would love to join you ladies, I have a security job to get back to…who knows how much trouble Oliver got himself into while I've been gone," Diggle says before the three of them get in his car and he drops the girls off at Felicity's apartment.

...


	13. Chapter 13

Hi all! I hope you had a good holiday. I'm working the graveyard shifts at my new job, so there may be a possibility for me to be posting biweekly instead of weekly, but we shall see. With that being said, enjoy!

* * *

"So what are you going to do now?" Felicity asks and Roxy sighs and shrugs.

"Go back to my day job. Maybe I'll actually get into that acting thing I've been wanting to do," Roxy mumbles as she flops on Felicity's sofa. Felicity removes her scarf, pumps, and tights before wandering barefoot into the kitchen.

"You are very dramatic," Felicity teases as she pours two glasses of wine.

"Haha. Very funny. And what about you? What are you going to do now that you don't have to work at the club?"

"Well I have my day job, and hopefully a promotion coming up, so I don't need to worry about the financial side of things…I don't know, I may even date,"

"That hunk, Diggle, because I totally have dibs," Roxy retorts and Felicity laughs.

"No, I'm not interested in him, so feel free to flirt. Though he may be taken,"

"Not a man like that. He's too focused on his work," Roxy murmurs with a grin, "I love those men. They make it worth the challenge. But if you don't like Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Hunky, who does tickle your fancy?"

"No one in particular," Felicity quickly lies, not wanting to admit to herself or her friend that she may have feelings for Oliver Queen. A knock pounds on her door, scaring both women into silence.

"You don't think…"

"No, Danny shouldn't know where I live…it's probably just Diggle or Valdez," Felicity suggests before wandering slowly to the door and peeking out the peephole. There, in an odd orbital form, stands Oliver Queen himself, "Oh god no,"

"Is it Danny?"

"No, it's my boss. Do you mind stepping into the bedroom while we talk?" Felicity asks and Roxy shrugs.

"Sure, just let me know when it's safe to come out," she says before going into her bedroom. Felicity pops the door open and smiles up at the man.

"Hey there," Oliver greets with his charming smirk, "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sort of…is something wrong?" Felicity asks, and she watches his smile falter.

"No not really. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I mean you did leave work in a hurry with Diggle and then I didn't hear from you for the rest of the evening…"

"I'm fine. My friend was at the station so we are having some celebratory drinks. We were told the raid is tonight, and Danny doesn't know where I live, so it's the perfect place to hide," Felicity mutters.

"Do you mind if I come in?" Oliver repeats with his charming grin again. She sighs and lets him in.

"Come on out, Roxy, I couldn't get him to go away," she calls and Oliver laughs.

"You can't resist my charm,"

"You wish," she teases and he feigns a shocked expression, "Do you want a drink?"

"Whisky if you got it," Oliver replies before Roxy wanders into the living room.

"Wow, you work with the hottest men!" Roxy cries as she shakes Oliver's hand.

"She has a thing for Diggle," Felicity retorts, pouring his drink to distract herself from the fact that he is indeed a hunk.

"Oh, do you? You know he's pretty single right now if you play your cards right," Oliver chimes.

"Don't make me swoon," Roxy mutters, causing all three of them to laugh. Felicity hands him his drink before leading them into the living area, "So I want to make a toast. To Felicity, my best friend from the darkest pit of Hell, and to our freedom," Roxy chimes, raising her glass of wine as the other two do as well.

"I will gladly drink to that," Felicity mumbles, sipping at her wine with a smile on her face.

"So Oliver, I was just interrogating Felicity about her love life, and being her boss maybe you know whom she's got a crush on," Roxy says as the blonde chokes on her wine.

"I hate you, Roxy," Felicity whispers under her breath as Oliver's eyes widen.

"I don't know honestly. I didn't think she dated," he replies, looking at Felicity with curiosity, "Care to share with us?"

"Nope. Not at all," she mumbles, gulping down her wine.

"How about we play twenty questions! You have to answer all questions truthfully and we will try to guess who it is," Roxy says.

"God no—"

"No, this'll be fun," Oliver interjects, hoping the game will tell him whom she likes because for the last week, she has been at the forefront of his mind.

"Fine…I will answer your dumb questions," Felicity mumbles; she wants this game to be the easiest way to see into Oliver's mind, and if she needs to play along then fine.

"Do you work with him?" Roxy asks.

"Yes I do,"

"Is he hot?" Felicity laughs at Roxy's question though Oliver just cocks an eyebrow. A blush consumes her face as she nods, taking another sip of wine.

"Does he know you like him?"

"Not that I know of,"

"Would you tell him if he didn't know?" Oliver asks, his blue eyes hold incomprehensible emotions.

"Probably…"

"You should totally tell him!" Roxy cries before her phone buzzes, "Sorry this is a friend," she adds before wandering into the bedroom to answer her phone.

"So who is it?" Oliver whispers, his deep voice drawing the confession out of Felicity. She bites her tongue, though, not wanting to make a fool of herself when she doesn't know how he feels about her.

"No one you would know," she mumbles before meandering back to the kitchen for more wine. Oliver follows, confused by the mystery man she may like and why she is shutting him out of her life. If he learned anything these past few days, it was that he wanted to keep Felicity in his life. Not out of it.

"Hey, what is going on with you?" he asks as he corners her in the kitchen. She took the scarf and tights off long ago, and the bruises stand out on her pale skin. Her hand trembles as she pours more wine, her emotions causing turmoil in her body. Oliver takes ahold of her hand, sets the bottle down, and turns her to face him.

"Oliver—"

"Felicity, you can talk to me; you do know that, right?" his voice is gentle, his eyes calm, and his hands so warm that she finds herself wanting to trust him again. Oh, how she wants to believe this man when he says everything will be fine. What is worse is that she wants a happy ending for the two of them. That isn't going to happen though. Her life isn't a fairytale. A sad smile touches her lips before she pulls away.

"I'm fine, Oliver. Thank you for everything you have done for me. Getting Diggle to talk to the cops for me…that was great. I'll never be able to repay you for the freedom you've given me,"

"I will always be here to help you. No matter how odd our friendship is," he comments grinning lightly at Felicity.

"Sorry that was Adam, a coworker. This poor girl came in with an infected belly ring. Talk about painful! You two okay?" Roxy babbles as she bursts into the kitchen.

"Yeah we're good. Where do you work, Roxy?" Oliver asks, distracting himself from Felicity's cold withdrawal. He can't blame her for being hesitant.

"A tattoo parlor. I do the tats, and Adam does the piercings, which totally works since he is flamboyantly gay. Not at all interested in women or their body parts,"

"Keeps the ethical conduct pretty high," Felicity chimes and Roxy laughs."Exactly," she says with a grin. Felicity grabs her wine glass and all three move into the living room, settling down on the grungy couch and chairs. Oliver leans back and listens as Roxy continues to tell funny stories from the club and her tattoo parlor. Felicity laughs in all the right places, yet Oliver can tell she is deep in her thoughts and not with the group. He wishes she would tell him what is wrong, but he doesn't want to push her away forever.

* * *

And that's all she wrote! Hope you enjoy, and see you next time.


	14. Chapter 14

Happy holidays everyone! I am so sorry it has taken me a long time to write in this story, but I got swamped with the holidays. I am SERIOUSLY hoping to have this story wrapped up by the end of January, so to all of you who have stuck around this long: thank you. Now onto the story!

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Felicity wakes in the middle of the night to police sirens and flashing lights reflecting off the white walls of her small apartment. For a moment, she thinks Valdez went back on his promise and he's out to arrest her and Roxy, but soon the sirens pass, the lights fade, and silence consumes her apartment once again. With a sigh, she sits up, her cheek brushing against something soft, and warm, and undeniably firm and masculine. Squinting in the darkness, Felicity realizes she was laying in Oliver's lap, and that she felt his green sweater on her face. She quickly tucks her messy hair behind her ears as her eyes wander over Oliver's sleeping face, in awe that his chiseled features can look so sweet and innocent.

When did these feelings for Oliver Queen develop? It sure as hell wasn't when they first met and slept together, because Felicity never falls in love with clients; she knows better. How could she develop feelings for a man who literally paid to be with her as Meg? Does Oliver even like Felicity for being Felicity or for being Meg? These are the thoughts that whirl madly through her mind as she stares at his long lashes brushing against his soft cheeks; his full lips are open slightly as his soft breaths fill the silent apartment. His blond hair is tousled from sleeping sitting up, yet there is no sign of discomfort on his face. Just peace. Oliver stretches on the couch, his eyes fluttering open as his hazy blue eyes look down at his lap where Felicity was sleeping.

"Mm—Felicity?" Oliver mumbles before he looks up at her. His eyes glitter in the dark room and Felicity smiles.

"Hey," she whispers, not wanting to wake Roxy in the other room. Oliver reaches out and gently strokes her cheek with his thumb, a sleepy smile crossing his lips. Despite all her mental hesitations, she leans into his touch, happy to feel his warm calloused hands on her skin.

"Are you okay?" he whispers, his deep airy voice wraps around her like silk in the darkness.

"I will be…" she quietly replies, and his eyes darken slightly as they land on the garish bruises on her neck. She grabs his wrist with her small hands, her green eyes sparkling in the darkness as she repeats, "I will be," Oliver nods as he slips his hand from hers, resting it on the couch in between them.

"What now…?" he mumbles, and Felicity can't tell exactly what the question implies.

"Well, I still will have my job at QC," she retorts, yet Oliver breathily laughs, his smile widening as her heart furiously flutters in her chest.

"I meant socially. Are you going to ask this crush of yours out?" Oliver asks with a flash in his eyes. Maybe its wishful thinking, but that look almost seemed like jealousy to her.

"Well…I might…it's just complicated," she whispers, and his hand finds hers again in the dark room.

"As complicated as this?" Oliver retorts and she just laughs with exasperation. This is her chance…she should just say something and get it over with. And if he doesn't accept her, she can blame it on sleep talking, or the alcohol, or something. Anything…but she must tell him how she feels.

"That is why it would be complicated…" she says, and the silence consuming them is heavy with implication. Thank goodness for the darkness because she can feel her cheeks heating up to a bright rosy pink just from the intensity in his eyes.

"Maybe you need to spell it out for those of us who just woke up…" he murmurs, his lips curling into a crooked smirk. His crackly deep voice sends tremors throughout her body, and though she knows he's just teasing her, it still has her blushing all the same.

"You're the one I like—" she can barely get the sentence out before Oliver kisses her deeply, startling her as her heart starts racing. Her eyes flutter closed, and her hands wrap around his neck. He smiles against her lips, pulling away as they both pant lightly.

"Thank fucking god," he whispers, his grin sprawling wider as he places kiss after kiss on her lips, her cheek, and down her neck. A blush consumes her as he delicately kisses the bruises Danny left on her. His lips chase the pain away, and relieved tears tickle at the corner of her eyes. Oliver wraps his hands around her waist, lifting her up into his lap as he continues to soothe her bruises.

"I thought it was obvious," Felicity breathlessly whispers, biting her lip to keep her moans at bay. Oliver chuckles, his breath teasing the sensitive skin of her neck. He nips at her earlobe and a moan escapes her mouth.

"Nothing about you is obvious, Felicity," he murmurs, and she smiles, kissing him gently as he looks up at her with his sweet, caring, eyes. Her smile falters as one question flickers through her mind.

"Oliver…do you like me as Felicity or because of Meg…?" she quietly questions and his grip on her waist tightens, his smile slipping from his lips.

"I like you for you, Felicity. For the strength you possess, and your tenacity. You are stronger than anyone I have ever known, and I admire you more than I can say," he explains, and a trail of tears runs down her cheeks. He brushes his thumb over it, kissing her forehead softly as his hands lace behind her back.

"Thank you, Oliver…" she exclaims as she lightly runs her fingers over the back of his neck. The two of them stay engulfed in each other's arms as the sun brightens the sky from black to a dull gray. Oliver leaves earlier in the morning due to a meeting, but he promises to stop by her office. And with that promise, he wanders off, leaving Felicity filled with joy. Now she just needs to wait.

* * *

And that's all she wrote! I will get another chapter uploaded next week, so Happy New Years!


	15. Chapter 15

Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter is shorter than the others, but I still hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Felicity intensely focuses on her projects the next day, even though her mind wanders back to Oliver every now and then. The sweet smile he gave her this morning still warms her heart, and she can't help but think how wonderful it will be to wake up to that smile every day. She wants more from this newfound attraction than she can receive. She has to remember he's her boss. There isn't any way this can work out, yet she doesn't care. She wants to be with him. With a sigh, Felicity shakes her head, clearing these romantic thoughts so she can focus on her work. Mr. Steele requested her to focus on the Applied Sciences merger, leaving very little time for her routine computer checks. A message suddenly pops up on her screen from the internal systems, and a smile crosses her lips as she reads it.

 _I need you in my office. –Oliver._

Felicity grabs her tablet and work phone before securing her computer, and exiting her tiny office. She steps into the elevator, her heart fluttering with the anticipation of seeing Oliver again. She really should check her emotions—he's her boss after all—and yet she can't bring herself to care. She hurries from the elevator to the Execs Floor where Oliver's office is in the back. Felicity knocks lightly as she fails to smother her excitement. He calls for her to enter, and swiftly Felicity hurries into the office, a smile on her face.

"Afternoon," she chimes as she shuts the door. Oliver and Diggle look over at her with a sober expression on their face, and her excitement instantly fizzles to anxiety, "What's wrong?"

"Felicity…I am so sorry…" Oliver starts, his usual calm demeanor cold with dread, "Danny escaped the raid. The cops can't seem to find him…" Oliver continues to speak, yet Felicity can't hear a word he says. Her whole world wraps around the fact that he's gone. She drops into a chair, her body lightly trembling with pure fear.

"Hey, it'll be okay, Felicity. I'm going to be watching you until they catch him," Diggle explains, and she nods slowly, her body falling into numbness.

"Yeah…yeah okay sure," she mumbles, trying to shake off her panic. Oliver glances at Diggle and the man gives a brief nod before exiting the office. Oliver kneels in front of Felicity, his hands rubbing her arms gently.

"He's right, Felicity, it will be okay," Oliver says. She fights her tears as she grasps his hands, squeezing them tightly to feel _something_ besides terror.

"Are…are you sure? What if he finds me…"

"I won't let that happen," Oliver retorts with determined conviction. Felicity can't bring herself to speak. Instead, she leans into his body, wrapping her arms around him as if clutching to life. Oliver hugs her back, whispering promises that she subconsciously knows he cannot keep. She lifts her eyes, meeting his bright blue ones before the two of them are drawn together, their lips meeting tentatively. Felicity falls into the kiss, letting Oliver's lips take her away from her pain and sorrow. He kisses her feverishly, his desire and passions melting any hesitations she may have. She breaks the kiss, gasping for breath as her cheeks flush.

"Oliver…"

"I know," he rasps, his breath teasing her neck as he leans into the crook of her shoulder, "We need to be careful, but I want to take you out for a date. Like a real date, not a Meg date…" his words have her blushing brightly and she smiles sadly. She runs her fingers over his cheek lightly.

"You're Oliver Queen. It wouldn't be wise to take out your IT girl right now…" she quietly mumbles.

"That's not good enough. How bout you come to my place tonight? I can make some dinner for us?" Oliver suggests and Felicity giggles lightly.

"I wouldn't peg you as a cook,"

"I know a few recipes. And besides, I want to keep you safe tonight," Oliver whispers and she sighs.

"You're not a superhero, Oliver…some things are best left to the guys with the guns," she murmurs.

"You can still come over for dinner," Oliver retorts, his thumb stroking her cheek gently.

"Just tell me when and where," she chimes before a knock sounds at the door. Oliver and Felicity quickly pull apart and he wipes at his lips, hoping no lipstick is left behind from their encounter.

"Come on in," Oliver says once he and Felicity are on respectable sides of the office. She gathers a folder in her hands as the door opens. On the other side of it a fellow associate, "Hey give me just one minute," Oliver adds before Felicity hands him the dummy folder, "Thank you, Miss Smoak, I will email you later if I have any questions," Felicity nods and wanders out of the office, her head whirling with anxiety and anticipation. She's excited to see Oliver later this evening, but she can't help but worry about Danny. How could he have escaped the raid? Does he know who she truly is, and where she lives? He's not a man that easily gives up on what he wants…

Felicity gets back to her office, sighing as she sits at her desk. One thing she made sure of was to never give Danny her real phone number either. She used a burner phone that she disconnected once he got too obsessed with her as Meg, and now she checks her real phone with a paranoia of a hunted woman. She knows he's going to come after her eventually…how can she pretend like none of it is bothering her? She rests her head in her hands, frustration and fear raking through her body. Her phone beeps seconds later, and the text ID has her smiling.

 _Oliver: Meet me at my house around 8pm?_

The next message contains his address to which Felicity quickly replies:

 _Felicity: I'll be there._

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope ya'll like the chapter, and I should have their date uploaded next week.


	16. Chapter 16

Hello everyone! I am so sorry I was delayed in uploading this new chapter of _Bitter Innocence_. What with work, my wrist, a funeral, and so much more, my life has been a little hectic. I hope to have the next few chapters uploaded by the end of this week, if not next week. With that being said, I do appreciate all of the reviews, well wishes, and favorites on my story. Thank you so much!

Oh! One more note: I am only on Season 3 of the Arrow show, so none of the later season characteristics are going to be in this story. I really have been too busy to catch up in it, but I don't think it'll change this story too much. With that said, on with the story.

* * *

Felicity stares at her mirror, scrutinizing every inch of her appearance as she gets ready for her date with Oliver. Her nerves run rampant as she brushes wrinkles out of her red dress, the material clinging to her body with a heart-shaped cut out on her chest. The skirt ends mid-thigh, and she pairs the dress with heels. Her blonde hair falls in wavy curls around her face, and she finishes the look with red lipstick and her glasses. She doesn't want to look slutty or under-dressed. For Oliver, she wants to be perfect. Even though their relationship is already so screwed up. She smiles lightly at her reflection as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Just relax, Felicity," she mumbles as she analyzes herself one more time. After that, she grabs her purse, a coat, and heads for the door. She hops in her car, following the GPS to Oliver's house. Rain falls lightly on her car as she pulls up to the side of the road outside of his, straightening her clothes one more time before making a quick sprint for the front door. She knocks and after a few seconds, Oliver answers wearing a casual pair of jeans and button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up exposing his forearms. He stares at Felicity, admiring her beauty in the doorway before a smile crawls across his face.

"Hi…" she weakly murmurs and Oliver chuckles.

"Hey, come on in," he gestures for her to enter, and she does, instantly warming up inside his cozy living room, a fire in the corner crackling lightly. She sets her purse and coat down on the back of his couch as he shuts and locks his front door once again. An amazing savory scent wafts from the kitchen, and Felicity grins as she takes a deep breath.

"Italian? You cooked?" she asks as she wanders further into his home, his large kitchen separated from the living room by a granite-topped bar. Oliver follows her, running a hand sheepishly over the back of his neck.

"I told you I could. It's a very simple recipe my old nanny taught me years ago. Come. Try it," he says, resting his hand on her back and leading her into the kitchen. She grins as he uncovers a pan of Chicken Primavera pasta, wrapping some of it around a fork, and offering her the small bite. Felicity takes the bite of food he offers, suppressing a delighted moan as her eyes go wide.

"This is delicious!" she cries after she swallows it, "Really, that is some of the best food I've had in a while," she adds before taking the fork from Oliver and spearing a mushroom out of the creamy sauce. He laughs as she pops it in her mouth, happily dancing at the wonderful taste in her mouth.

"Thank you. It needs to sit a bit longer, but in the meantime, can I get you anything to drink? I've wine, liquor, tea, or just water…"

"Some wine would be great thank you!" Felicity says, and Oliver smiles, wandering to the wine rack he has in the kitchen. He grabs a bottle of red wine and uncorks it, pouring some into a beautiful crystal glass for her. He pours one for himself as well before leading her to the couch in the living room.

"How are you feeling today?" Oliver asks, his concern flashing in his bright blue eyes.

"Good…just nervous about Danny…I'm sorry. I shouldn't be thinking about that when I'm here with you, but—"

"Hey, you don't need to apologize, Felicity, I totally understand why you're afraid. He'll get caught though. Don't you worry," Oliver says as he leans forward and grips her knee lightly.

"Thank you…" she takes a sip of her wine, and her beautiful green eyes widen behind her glasses, "Woah…Oliver how expensive is this wine?" she asks, and he laughs.

"Pretty expensive,"

"I can tell. It tastes amazing,"

"I'm glad you enjoy it," Oliver grins. The two settle back on the couch, not really sure what should be said. They both feel like they know so much and so little about each other. They went about the whole dating thing backwards. It's a date then sex. Not the other way around.

"Do you know how to cook, Felicity?" Oliver asks, breaking the awkward tension around them. She nods, setting her glass down on the table in front of them.

"I do yes. Not very well, mind you, just enough for a college student to get by. I wish I knew more recipes, but I didn't really have the time to cook," Felicity replies.

"Understandable since you worked two jobs most of the time. What's your favorite thing to cook?"

"Breakfast foods. I love making omelets or pancakes. Those are always my favorites on Saturdays and Sundays when I'm not at Queen Consolidated during the day," Felicity murmurs, "What about you, Oliver? What's your favorite food?"

"To cook or eat, because those are entirely two different answers," he says with a laugh. Felicity giggles, sipping at her wine again before shrugging.

"Both I guess,"

"Well I love to cook Italian dishes, but when I'm at a restaurant I always get a burger. I really enjoy a simple, well made, burger," Oliver answers before a timer in the kitchen goes off, "I should get that. Do you mind setting the table?"

"Not at all. Just point me in the right direction," Felicity chimes as she sets her glass on the dining room table, admiring the chic modern look of his dining room.

"Utensils are here. Plates in that cabinet, and napkins are in that drawer there," Oliver explains while pointing to the drawers with one hand and stirring the pasta with another. He pulls it off the stove and pours it into a beautiful ceramic dish, carrying it to the table as Felicity gathers two plates, napkins, and silverware sets. She quickly sets the table as Oliver dashes back into the kitchen to grab a salad from the fridge and garlic bread from the oven. He hurries back and sets them down, sitting beside Felicity as she perches in one of the chairs.

"It all looks delicious, Oliver, thank you," she murmurs as he dishes out some of the pasta and she puts some salad on her plate. He hands her a piece of garlic bread before putting his own plate together.

"I hope you enjoy it," he says, his charming smile on his lips again as the two of them fall into a comfortable silence of eating and sipping wine.

"Felicity…can I…can I ask you something?" Oliver mumbles once they finish eating.

"Of course, you can ask me anything," she says with an encouraging smile. She doesn't know what is going through his mind that would make him so awkward around her, but whatever it is, she wants to know. She needs to know.

"When all of this is said and done—when Danny is caught and you're officially free—will you be my girlfriend? I know it won't be an easy thing, especially since I'm technically your boss, and constantly in the public, and there will be trying times I'm sure, but…but I'd really like to date you. As a real boyfriend and real dates, not a Meg boyfriend or a Meg date…" Oliver quickly questions, and Felicity's heart starts racing from his words. A blush touches her cheeks as she slowly nods.

"Yeah…yeah I'd like that. It'll have to be secret until then, y'know? I don't want you to get into any trouble," Felicity murmurs and Oliver grins brightly, his usual gruff appearance melting away to his charming playboy looks that has her blushing brighter.

"I understand. We can get through this," Oliver says, his fingers dancing over her wrist lightly. He strokes the delicate bruised flesh on her arms, massaging away all memories of Danny's touch there. He's considerate, and he's gentle, yet Felicity knows all the passion living beneath his skin. Oliver Queen is a complex human being, but she can't complain after her sordid history.

"Oliver…" she whimpers when his hand runs over her shoulder, delicately stroking the bruises around her neck, his eyes flashing with a mix of emotions. He looks at her with those fiery eyes and smirks, softly leaning in to kiss her lips. That gentle kiss starts the whirlwind of desire in her, and she almost pouts when he pulls away. He sees the flustered passion in her gaze and lightly pulls her into his lap, her long legs straddling him as he kisses her thoroughly. Everything about his touch and kisses drives her absolutely wild, yet right as he reaches for the zipper on her dress, Oliver's phone rings. With a groan, he breaks the kiss, resting his head on her shoulder as he sighs.

"Crap…I need to get that. It's Diggle's ringtone," Oliver says, lifting his hips slightly so he can pull his phone out of his back pocket, "Diggle, there better be a good reason you're calling…" Oliver says as soon as he answers the phone.

"You with Felicity?" Diggle questions on the other end of the phone, and Oliver puts it on speaker, a furrowed brow on his face.

"Hi Diggle, what's up?" she hesitantly murmurs before she hears the man sigh.

"Roxy's what's up. Oliver asked me to tail her, make sure she was safe from Danny, and the fucking creep found her. I don't know how, but he found out where she lives. I busted in before he could hurt her, but the fucker got away again. I called Valdez and told him everything, so they're gridding the city. Are you guys at your house, Oliver?"

"Yeah…yeah we are,"

"I'm going to send extra security over there now. Roxy and I will be there within the hour. I have to make a stop first," Diggle says, and before they can say anything he hangs up. Felicity feels her stomach drop as terror rolls through her skin.

"How…how could he…"

"She's safe. That's all that matters,"

"No. No it's not! Because if he found her, he can find me!" Felicity cries, hopping off Oliver's lap to pace. Her heels click on the wood floor as she walks back and forth, her mind whirling, "He must have someone helping him. Danny's not smart enough to track us down…"

"Don't worry about that, Felicity. Connections or not, he is going to get caught eventually. And I won't let him hurt you. Got it?" he retorts, grabbing her arm lightly, "Look at me. It's going to be okay," he adds when tears fill her panicked eyes. She instantly hugs him tightly, hiding her fears and tears in the fabric of his shirt.

"Oliver…I'm so scared," she whispers as he wraps his hands around her, stroking her back gently.

"I know…but I promise it will be all right. He won't hurt you again," his words comfort her, but Felicity isn't sure if she can believe him. She needs a distraction. Something to keep her mind off the worry gnawing away at her stomach. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses Oliver again, burying her fear deep within her as she wraps her arms tightly around his neck. He knows what she's doing and he kisses her back feverishly, letting his body distract her from reality once again. His hands grope at her bottom in her skirts, lifting her and pressing her back into the wall as she wraps her legs around his waist again. She moans when his lips trace down her neck, kissing over the bruises as if his lips can erase the torture. He wants her to forget the damage done by Danny Moreno. His hands move up her waist, hatred for the man tainting his blood when he feels the bandages on Felicity's waist. He caused her so much pain. She lost so much to that man, but Oliver won't let it destroy her. He wants her to be free of him for good.

A knock at the door interrupts their make out session, and Oliver reluctantly sets her on shaky feet. He wipes at his lips, wiping away any of her lipstick that may've transferred to him before looking into the peephole in the door. He opens it as soon as he sees Diggle and Roxy on the other side.

"Roxy, are you okay?!" Felicity asks, running to her friend whose face is covered in tears, and eye swollen from the black eye forming around it, "I thought you said she wasn't hurt?!" Felicity shouts at Diggle and he goes rigid.

"Don't get mad at him, girlie…I was the one that provoked Danny," Roxy mumbles, "I was trying to buy me time so Diggle could get inside, but in the process I made him angry…"

"What did he want?" Felicity asks her friend as the four of them move into the living room after locking the door once again. Roxy sits on the couch, wrapping her arms tightly around her body as Diggle goes into the kitchen for some ice.

"You…he wanted you…" Roxy whispers, genuine fear on her pale face, "I've never seen him so crazy, Felicity…seriously he's gone mad,"

"Why the fuck am I so important to him?! This doesn't make sense!" Felicity cries as her panic blooms within her. Oliver wraps his arms around her waist as Diggle comes back with an icepack for Roxy. She smiles up at him before taking the pack and putting it on her face.

"He told me its because you paid off your debt. He's made enough off you, that you no longer owe him anything, but…for some reason he's obsessed with you. He wants to keep you for himself," Roxy mumbles, "I told him that I'll never give you up, and that's when this happened…" she adds, gesturing to the mark on her face. Oliver releases Felicity so she can hug her friend, fighting her tears and fears once more.

"I'm so so sorry he came after you because of me…" she whispers, and the brunette just sighs, hugging her back.

"You'd have done the same if he was coo-coo for me too," Roxy retorts before the two girls laugh.

"You're damn right about that," Felicity says, "How bout some wine?"

"Got anything stronger?" Roxy asks Oliver and he nods.

"Yeah, feel free to look for something you'd like," Oliver says, and the girls wander slowly to the kitchen. Diggle comes to Oliver's side, knowing he needs something from him.

"What condition is Danny in…?" Oliver asks, and Diggle sighs.

"I only got one hit on the guy before he took off. Somehow, I lost him in the city, which is when I called Valdez. Don't worry. We will get this guy,"

"I don't doubt that, but his obsession for Felicity has me worried…"

"Me too…I have four guys stationed outside right now, and I don't plan on leaving tonight,"

"Good," Oliver mumbles before he and Diggle join the girls in the kitchen where Roxy pours whiskey in a glass. Felicity sits on the counter, sipping from her filled wine glass, a smile on her lips as Oliver walks over to her, leaning against her side just to let her know he's there for her. He watches Roxy down one glass of whiskey before pouring another.

"Want some pasta to go with that booze?" Felicity asks and Roxy shakes her head, downing the glass once again.

"Nope. Got a bedroom I can crash in? My home isn't very safe right now…" Roxy mumbles as she swigs her glass of whisky in one go. She pours another and Oliver chuckles lightly. He doesn't blame her for her need to drown in booze.

"There's a guest bedroom on the second floor to the left. You are welcome to it," Oliver says as Roxy downs her last glass. She puts the cup in the sink, wiping her lips lightly.

"Thanks. I'm thoroughly exhausted. And smashed," she says with a grin. Felicity laughs before hopping off the counter.

"Let me get you to bed, girlie," she offers her arm, and Roxy links arms with hers.

"Night guys," Roxy chimes, the two girls wandering out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Oliver sighs, looking over at Diggle.

"Go check security for me," Oliver mumbles and he nods.

"I was planning on it once Roxy got settled. The whiskey definitely helped with that. Can't blame the girl though," he murmurs with a small laugh, shaking his head as he straightens his coat, "Don't let Felicity out of your sight, okay?"

"You have my word," Oliver says, walking upstairs once Diggle leaves the house and he's locked the door after him. He finds Felicity in the hall outside of Roxy's room, shutting her door gently before spinning to look at him.

"She okay…?" he quietly asks and she nods.

"She will be…"

"And what about you?" Oliver whispers, leading Felicity down the hall to the other guest bedroom. She looks up at him, biting her lip as she reaches for his hand.

"Stay with me tonight…please…" she pleads, and Oliver smiles gently, leaning in to kiss her as his hands run through her hair.

"Of course I will,"

* * *

And that's all she wrote! Like I said, I should have the other chapters out for you soon. Thank you guys!


	17. Chapter 17

Hey everyone! I hope your week is going well! This next chapter is very much Rated M for violence and language. If that's not your cup of tea, skip it and I'll recap in the next chapter. Thank you guys, and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **12:15AM.** Felicity wakes up in the middle of the night, her cuts itching underneath their bandages. She sighs, rubbing her face, yet when she goes to check her bandages, a warm arm wraps itself around her. She gasps, looking back at Oliver as he softly snores in bed. She smiles, kissing his forehead before moving his arm from around her waist. She sits up, her bare body reminding her of the intense pleasure that she shared with Oliver. He rolls over in his sleep, and her smile widens, her heart swelling with love. She really does love him. Damn her for it, but she does. She wraps a robe around her aching body and wanders towards the restroom connected to Oliver's bedroom. She unwraps her wounds, checking them as they aggravatingly scab over. She finds some ointment in the cabinet, rubbing it over her wounds with a soft sigh before wrapping them in fresh bandages, and heading back to the bedroom.

She hopes that sleep will come back to her, but as she sits on the edge of the bed she sees a shadow in the doorway and her heart drops. Danny is standing there, pointing a handgun at her. She chokes down a scream when he puts a finger to his lips and gestures for her to follow him outside. She hesitates, but he turns the safety off the gun and points it at Oliver. She shakes her head viciously, stands, and follows him down the hall past Roxy's room, down the stairs, to the front door and around the side of the building as tears pool in her eyes. Immediately, Danny knocks her against the building, slamming his fist into her stomach so she can't scream out. She coughs raggedly, praying the security team will find her soon enough.

"I've been waiting to do that again. I can't believe you fucking snitched on me, babe. It was just a little pain," he sneers before grabbing her already bruised throat, "One of your Johns told me you liked to be choked; he said it turns you on. So does it, baby girl? Are you missing me?" He hurls her down and Felicity looks up at him with bitter contempt.

"Of course I don't. You made my life a living hell for six fucking years. Your beatings just make me want to run and never see you again. Keep the money I've earned all these years; I know you have made enough that you don't need me to dance for you ever again," she hisses before he grabs her arm and forces her back against the wall, his eyes red and bloodshot.

"How do you know that?" he spits, "Who told you?"

"Nobody did. I just did the math. I had to earn a certain number of bills, minus the 100 bucks you gave me at the end of the night, plus the 'Date Nights' you said I would never have do to again. All of that paid off my debt, plus the interest I accumulated over the years. You just kept me believing I owed you. Why? Why are you so intent on getting me back?" Felicity spits, not wanting to rat out Roxy or he may figure out that she also is inside.

"Because you are mine," he spits as he tightens his grip on her arm, "And no one walks away from me. So what if you paid off your debt. I own you,"

"No. No you don't, Danny. I know about the raid. Your little club is over," she spits and he slaps her so hard her head bounces off the brick wall behind her.

"It is never going to be over! As long as I have you, I can fucking sell you over and over again, and still make enough to live comfortably,"

"I would rather die," she snaps before the barrel of the gun is pressed to her forehead. She tries not to flinch when the cold metal bites her skin.

"I can arrange that," he growls, his whole body oozing with insanity. It's in the way his hands shake, his eyes bug out of his skull, his spit forms with each word, and his teeth grind in his mouth.

"If you pull that trigger, you will have no profit, and the cops will be on your ass in two seconds flat," Felicity whispers, hoping she can talk her way out of this one, "There's security around this place. They will find you if you pull that trigger,"

"I took care of your security, and so what if the cops come?! Without a bitch, I have nothing! You are my only hope, but you're so desperate for a normal life. For a normal job, and a normal boyfriend. Tell me, baby, does he really fuck you so good that you'd give up on me?" When Felicity doesn't answer, he hits her with the butt of the gun, "You will die tonight," Danny hisses, pushing the barrel against her forehead harder. She tries to lean away, but hard brick keeps her steady and fear begins to eat its way through her.

"A gun is a coward's weapon. You said so yourself," Felicity murmurs and instantly the butt of the gun collides with her cheek again.

"I am not a coward," Danny shouts, shaking with rage from head to toe.

"Then prove it, dammit. You want me dead, then kill me with your own hands and not a bullet," Felicity counters, hoping that a beat down will give her time to escape and someone will have time to get to her before it is too late…before she is dead. Danny backs away, drops the gun on the ground, and lunges for her. Felicity ducks and takes off running towards the road. Someone must be looking for Danny, and if they were she needs to get to them. Or near the road. Anything to let her live.

A weight slams into her back, knocking her to the ground and she screams. Loud. Danny gets off her and kicks her. Over and over he pounds his steel-toed boots into her already bruised ribs and back. She hears a rib crack and pain causes her vision to blur. Dear God, she could die if she doesn't fight back. She grabs his leg and trips him before dragging herself to her feet and running towards the road. Again, Danny catches her, grabbing her waist and shoving her into a tree so he can slap her.

"How dare you run! That is cowardly. You are afraid. Not me!" he shouts as he strikes again and again, his fists causing her lip to bleed, her eye to swell, her jaw to ache, and one punch has her crumpling at his feet. She kneels on the ground, spitting blood out of her swollen mouth.

"I am not afraid of you. I never was, and I never will be," she whispers before he grabs her hair and pulls her to her feet.

"Look me in the eyes, bitch. I want to see the fear on your face as I kill you," Danny growls, grabbing her neck and choking her once more. As her vision blurs, and her lungs constrict with lack of oxygen, Felicity knows the only thing Danny is going to see on her face is hatred. Pure, uncontrollable, hatred. Right as her world goes black, his hands leave her neck, and a gun goes off.

…

Felicity wakes in the hospital. She has no idea how she got there or what happened to Danny, but the incessant beeping and the smell of antiseptic gives her location away. When she opens her eyes, Roxy is sitting in the chair next to her, eyeliner smeared down her cheeks from crying.

"Roxy?" Felicity rasps out and the brunette woman jumps twenty feet in the air.

"Oh my god you're alive! You had us scared shitless, girl!"

"Danny…?"

"Oliver woke up, and he couldn't find you anywhere, then Diggle said the security team was found knocked out. He put two and two together and went after you. He and Diggle found Danny standing over your lifeless body and Diggle shot him…The cops showed up right after that, but then he had to go…it was bad publicity and Diggle forced him to leave. The paramedics came and brought you here. I am so glad you are okay!"

"Wait so, Danny…he's he's…"

"Dead. It was considered self-defense, so Diggle won't get in any trouble luckily," Roxy babbles, and Felicity's eyes fill with tears of relief. She's not going to have to fear that man any longer. He can't torment her anymore. She chokes back her tears and looks at Roxy.

"How long was I out?" she manages to ask.

"A few days. You have had some visitors from Queens Consolidated, including Walter Steele. I just told them I was a friend,"

"Oh god…do they know about—"

"I was going to let you tell them that yourself," Oliver says from the doorway. His button up is disheveled, a five o'clock shadow coats his chin, and his eyes are drowning in exhaustion. Felicity is suddenly self-conscious and pulls the covers up to her chin.

"Why are you here?"

"Partly because I was scared to fucking death when I found you, and partly because Walter wanted me to take you to Queens Corp to make a statement as soon as you were ready,"

"A statement about…?"

"Felicity, a Queen's Corp IT girl is attacked and almost killed by an infamous pimp and sex trafficker. The news has had a field day with this, and Walter needs to know your connection to the man in case it weakens the credibility of our business," Oliver explains.

"I'm going to get fired, aren't I?"

"Honestly, Felicity. I don't know. It is just a meeting with Steele, and he can be lenient. Especially since he likes you so much," Oliver murmurs with a gentle grin.

"When can I leave the hospital?"

"The nurse is going to come in now that you are awake," Roxy says and sure enough, a nurse knocks lightly on the door before stepping around Oliver.

"Can you wait outside, sir?" the nurse asks.

"But wait, Oliver—"

"Don't worry Felicity. I'll see you in a bit," Oliver says and then he leaves, shutting the wood door behind him so the nurse can check out all of her wounds. Her ribs still hurt like hell, and her body was covered in cuts and bruises, but she will live.

"When can I leave?" Felicity repeats and the nurse smiles.

"A few days. Your wounds are healed up enough that you can go home in a few days," she chimes before exiting the room.

"So Monday determines my fate," Felicity mumbles and Roxy sighs, hugging her friend lightly, hoping that Walter is a really lenient man.

* * *

And that's all she wrote! The next chapter or two will be the end, and I'm going to have it out as soon as I can. Thank you all for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

Hi guys! Sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter posted. Work has been CRAZY! We lost three employees last week, so let's just say this girl is very very busy.

I wanted to address the comments I got about Felicity hacking her way out of her debt with Danny Moreno. Guys...hacking into a video security camera is WAY different than hacking into a Financial database for thirty-something-thousand dollars! Also that is way traceable, and she would've ended up doing some serious hard time in jail. The girl may be good, but she isn't THAT skilled. If you remember, she almost got caught by Starling City police for hacking in the show. So please cut the story some slack on that end. It just wasn't gonna happen.

Okay, now that I'm done with that, onto the story. This is the penultimate chapter, so I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Felicity enters Queens Consolidated, and all conversation stops in the lobby. Employees, clients, even the security guard stares at her, shocked by the bruises and rumors that follow her like a plume of smoke. She hurries to the elevator, and pushes the button to the Execs floor, fussing with her high-necked dress and tights, hoping she covered enough of the bruises to not cause an issue today. No, she needs to convince Walter to let her keep her job, not because she is a victim, but because she is damn good at her job. She knocks on his office door and he bids her to enter. Oliver was right, it is just Walter sitting in the office, a look of concern and surprise on his face.

"Miss Smoak, it is so good to see you up and running. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better…Mr. Queen told me you needed to talk to me?"

"Ah yes. This is just a formal statement for publicity about your recent assault. Do sit down, please," Felicity slowly goes over to the desk, and lowers herself gingerly in a chair. Acting like she isn't hurt is a lot harder than she thought it would be.

"This doesn't need to be recorded, does it?"

"Of course not, Felicity, I am not the police. Just your boss who is highly concerned for you and for the company,"

"I have wanted to tell you the truth for years, but I never wanted you to be disappointed in the actions of a desperate eighteen-year-old me," Felicity starts before taking a deep breath. She knows she needs to tell him everything. Even if it is just to make herself feel better since confession is supposedly good for the soul, "When I was applying for college, I borrowed money from Danny Moreno to help me get there. My family didn't have any funds, so I knew I needed help. I made a mistake. That mistake put me in debt with him, and after I graduated and moved here he found me…at nights I would dance at his club to pay off my debt. He knew nothing about my day job or who I associate with when I am not at the club, so Queens Consolidated is safe. I am terribly sorry for dragging your business into my personal disaster," Walter is quiet for a moment, staring at the girl in front of him. He knows Felicity as one of the brightest most impressive IT experts in his company, so for her to be like this now has him pitying her.

"Why did he attack you?"

"I was late one night and he assaulted me. I went to the cops and helped them get enough evidence to arrest him and his cohorts…"

"The night of the meeting…"

"Yes sir. I value Queens Consolidated over any other part of my life, which is why I stayed that night. I knew he would be angry, I just didn't know he would get that angry, y'know? Sir, I know you will have to take some sort of…action for my negative press on your business, but can I keep my job still?" Walter sighs.

"Did you, in any of the years working for Mr. Moreno, have any experiences with any of Queen's clients or employees?"

"No sir," Felicity lies, not wanting to tell him about Oliver, "And if they saw me dance I did wear a disguise," she adds. He jots down some notes, his expression unreadable to her, yet he finally looks up with a small smile.

"You can keep working at Queens Consolidated, but the Applied Sciences promotion will not be offered to you any longer. We cannot have you in such a public position if you have this…tainted reputation,"

"I understand, sir,"

"You will also have to turn over all of your AS research to me, so I can hand it off to another IT expert, though I doubt they will be as diligent as you were. We just need time to let this fade out of the media, understood?"

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Steele," Felicity says and she means it. Yes, she was basically demoted, but she still has a job. That is all that matters.

"Great. Your new assignment will be working with Oliver in the Financials Department. We are having a hard time getting all of the figures from last year, especially from offsite workers. Can you take care of it?"

"Absolutely. You won't regret keeping me on, sir. I promise," she murmurs and he nods.

"I know I won't. You may leave now," Walter dismisses Felicity and she hurries out of the office only to cross the hall to Oliver's office. Her heart flutters nervously as she knocks on the door, biting her bottom lip as she rings her fingers together. The door opens and a tall, beautiful, woman stands in the doorway, a frown on her face, and her brows quirked. Felicity instantly recognizes her as Laurel Lance.

"Oh. I'm so sorry, I didn't realize Mr. Queen had a visitor…I was supposed to meet with him…" Felicity mumbles as Laurel looks her over.

"And you are….?"

"Nobody. Well not nobody. I'm—"

"Felicity?" Oliver takes the door from Laurel's hand and opens it wider, "I didn't expect you back so—"

"Yeah I'm back," Felicity interrupts him when she sees the jealous scowl flash on Laurel's face, and she can't help but get the feeling that she's interrupted something, "You and I are going to be working on financials together, so when you're ready to go over those figures, you know where I'll be," she hisses, turning on her heel and fleeing to the elevator. She can't believe she was foolish enough to believe Oliver and her might have a chance for something more than the few fuck fests they had. He said he wanted to date her, but was that really the truth? Why was he so kind to her? He probably pitied her, and that was why he said everything he did, and if he got some ass on the side then that's even better.

As the elevator door slams shut, Felicity crumples against the wall, counting down the numbers until she gets to her dark IT abyss of computers and numbers and uncomplicated beings, burning in self-loathing and embarrassment. Sally gives her a hug as Felicity passes her door, muttering about how worried she was for her health. Felicity thanks her before wandering into her office and shutting the door behind her. She logs in her computer, puts all the AS data on a drive, and deletes the hardcopies from her computer as Walter Steele instructed her to do. She checks emails, does some data plotting, and to make herself feel better, she hacks into the police department's system to look at the Autopsy Report on Danny Moreno. They found him with a bullet wound to the chest, and hardcore drugs in his bloodstream. That would explain his erratic behavior and desperation for more money. With a sigh, Felicity clicks off the page; one chapter closes and another one opens, yet the chapter she had hoped for—the one with Oliver Queen—doesn't seem like it is meant to be…

* * *

And that's all she wrote. I'm hoping to deliver the last chapter as soon as I can when work slows down a bit more or next week on my days off. Have an awesome day everyone!


	19. Final Chapter

Hello everyone! This is the FINAL chapter of _Bitter Innocence_. I hope you enjoy! I probably won't be doing another _Arrow_ fan fiction after this since I haven't caught up in the show, but do feel free to reach out to me about any questions or comments you have.

Thanks again, everyone! Now onto the story!

* * *

 **4:58PM.** A knock echoes through her Bat Cave, yet Felicity can't hear it. Her headphones blare classic rock and she's too busy singing to see Oliver enter the room. When she looks up she jumps, pulls the buds from her ears, and pauses the music.

"Hey Felicity,"

"Hello, Mr. Queen. Are you here to go over those figures?"

"Fel—"

"If you don't have the figures, then maybe you should come back another time, Mr. Queen,"

"Felicity,"

"I am very busy, Mr.—"

"Stop that, Felicity and talk to me!"

"Why?! It's not like you being with an ex should bother me!" Felicity snaps before she can even stop the words from coming out of her mouth. Oliver sighs before sitting in the chair in front of her.

"Definitely not my finer moment…but can we please talk?"

"Why was she here?"

"She and Tommy got in a fight, and she came over here…I don't know why I always fall into her stupid trap... Honestly Felicity, nothing is going on between us—"

"And nothing was really going on between you and me either, so it is fine," Felicity murmurs and Oliver scoffs.

"Your little outburst tells me otherwise. You know how much I care about you, so please don't act like that,"

"Look, Oliver, I have to work with you now since I got dropped from Applied Sciences to the Financials, and I was so excited to talk to you to tell you the news, but then Laurel was there, and she's important to you. I get it. Our friendship will just have to remain at a friendship level. Okay?"

"I don't want that, though,"

"Seriously, Oliver! I need to know where I stand if I'm going to work with you. Are we friends—or more than that—or was I just someone you wanted to hook up with because I worked at the club? Did you mean everything you said before or was that just a ruse to get in my pants?!" Felicity's questions make Oliver want to laugh, scream, and shake her simultaneously.

"What are you suggesting? I'd only be attracted to the girl in the red wig and skimpy clothes? God, Felicity, you know I care about you which is why I helped you get out of that damn club in the first place! I— "

"Since Danny found me at your home, you have barely looked at me or talked to me. Roxy told me you visited the hospital daily, except once I woke up. Those three days you were nowhere to be seen…" Oliver looks down at his hands, not sure what he should say or why he even avoided her in the first place. Could it be because he was so mad at himself for not waking up sooner? Or for the fact he almost lost someone he cannot fathom losing? He couldn't even be there for her because he's Oliver Queen. Diggle sent him away. Diggle killed the man even though Oliver was the one with the grudge. No, he had to leave Felicity because of the bad publicity. He had to put being a Queen over being Felicity's boyfriend.

"Felicity, I just…I—" a knock interrupts him and both of them straighten in their chairs as Walter Steele enters the room.

"Hello Mr. Steele. I put the AS data on this drive for you, and I got rid of the hard copies in case that could lead to the discredit of findings on the device. I do hope you have luck with the new project IT," Felicity quickly states as she hands the device to him.

"Thank you so much, Felicity. I see you and Oliver have begun your discussion on the figures?"

"I just came to ask her about a meeting for tomorrow. We will get into the account books then," Oliver says and Walter nods.

"Very good. I will leave you to it," he exclaims before exiting the room. Oliver turns to Felicity.

"Give me some time to explain. Please,"

"You have five minutes then I need to go. I have an appointment," Felicity mumbles.

"I stayed away from the hospital because I should have been there for you when Danny showed up and I wasn't. I almost went insane when we found out you were gone, and Dig can attest that I did some pretty stupid things afterwards. I am so sorry, Felicity; for that and for Laurel and for everything. I'm not the guy you should be with," he mumbles, and she bites her lip.

"I need to go…" is all she says before she shuts her computer down and exits her office. Oliver is on his feet and follows her instantly.

"What? That is all you are going to say right now?" Felicity turns on him and he stops.

"Yes, that is all I'm going to say because I know you and I know me. I don't compete with a girl like Laurel Lance. God I'm not even in the same galaxy as her,"

"No, you're not. You are completely out of this world, but that doesn't matter to me because Laurel and I aren't seeing each other anymore. What can I do to mend this?" Oliver asks as the two of them are shut in the elevator. Felicity tries, and fails, to count the floors to the parking garage so she stops and sighs.

"Give me time to believe you. We have to work together, so fine, but don't flirt or try to be cute or anything like that because I can't like you, Oliver. That isn't fair to me, since Laurel still traps you in her games. So, don't make me like you, okay? Just don't try it," Felicity mutters before the elevator chimes and she scurries out of the elevator, leaving Oliver speechless.

…

The next week goes by in a blur. Felicity's bruises fade, the scandal of the attack fades, and Laurel's manipulation on Oliver fades. What doesn't fade is Felicity's attraction for Oliver. Everyday working by his side is torment; her heart races wildly, her face flushes, and she has to keep herself calm just to talk about numbers. Money. Something that controlled her life for far too long. She had to go to the morgue with Officer Valdez to confirm that the man that attacked her was indeed the infamous Danny Moreno. Once she did the identity confirmation, she wanted to call Oliver for comfort, and yet she pushed him away. She was the one who asked for time.

And now as she walks down the hall to his office, she wants to apologize. Before she wanted to yell at him for hurting her or slap him when he would do something too cute it would make her heart ache, but now she just wants to apologize and get past all of this. That is until she hears Laurel's voice in Oliver's office. She stops by the door, fighting the wave of shame and jealousy that consumes her.

"Laurel, stop. Just stop," Felicity hears Oliver snap, the sound of his stern deep voice sends tremors through her body. What could Laurel possibly be saying that could drive Oliver to shout at work? He's usually refined. He's not like this… "Listen to me and listen clearly. I don't love you anymore. I haven't for years. I was happy when you and Tommy got together. You should be with him right now. You need to leave,"

"This isn't about me and Tommy, is it?" Laurel shouts, her shrill voice irking Felicity. That woman never treated her right, even before she found out about the Danny scandal, "This is because of that stupid prostitute!"

"Felicity isn't a prostitute, and she has nothing to do with this," Oliver growls, and Felicity blushes, his defensiveness stirring her emotions slightly, "This has to do with you being a manipulative bitch thinking you can mess with both me and Tommy. Well you're wrong. So go," Oliver finishes, and Felicity hurries away from the office door so she wouldn't be spotted. She hears Laurel's stilettos clack off down the hall, and Felicity waits until Laurel is around the corner before she goes back to Oliver's door and hesitantly knocks.

"Come in!" Oliver shouts irritated at his previous guest. He can't believe Laurel would keep trying to play her foolish manipulation games. He's tired of it, he's tired of her and Tommy…he's just fucking tired. Working with Felicity all week has been torture, yet he has honored her request and hasn't flirted with her or brought up the past. He's letting her move at her own pace. When Felicity opens the office door, he looks up at her in surprise.

"Oh, hey, Felicity…you're early," he says, looking at the time.

"I know…I was hoping we could talk before our meeting," Felicity says, her cheeks a rosy hue. Oliver leans back in his chair and nods, his face unreadable. Felicity stands in the middle of the room, clutching her laptop to her chest as if it can shield her from pain and possible rejection.

"You know you can always talk to me, Felicity," Oliver quietly says, his deep voice comforting her and encouraging her.

"I…I wanted to say…I'm sorry," she mumbles, shocking him. Of all the things she could've said, that was not something he expected.

"Sorry…why?" he asks, his brows cocked in confusion. Felicity looks at him with big wide eyes.

"Why? What do you mean why? I was rude to you, and I pushed you away, and—"

"And I fully deserved those things," Oliver interrupts, a small smile on his lips, "Felicity, you were right. I should've been there for you when you woke, and I have been letting Laurel manipulate me for years, but that's over,"

"I know…I heard…" she murmurs, blushing at her confession, "Thank you for standing up for me. Your opinion matters most to me, Oliver...and I really am sorry I pushed you away," she adds before he stands, crossing the room in two quick strides.

"We…we haven't had the easiest beginning, but I don't care. What matters now is how you feel about me. Felicity, will you please be my girlfriend? I don't care about your past or my reputation or any of that. All I care about is you. I love you, Felicity," Oliver murmurs, his words bringing tears to her eyes. Even with all her concerns, heartache, and pain, she knows this relationship with Oliver is too precious to lose.

"I…I love you too, Oliver" Felicity stammers and before she can say anything else, he kisses her, his lips bringing more tears to her eyes. No matter what her future may bring, she wants these moments—these powerfully passionate moments—to never fade. Her love for Oliver Queen will never fade.

* * *

And that's it! I hope you guys enjoyed this story! Feel free to check out some of my other stories on this site, or my website Whirlwind Writer that is linked on my profile (it won't let me link it here)

Thank you everyone, and goodbye for now!


End file.
